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A CHRONICLE OF THE EARLY §AFAWlS

Being the

AHSANU’T-TAWARlKH

IJASAN-I-RCMLC

VOL. n

{English Translation)

Translated by

C. N. SEDDON, M.A., I.C.S. (Retired)

Oriental Institute
Baroda
1934

Printed by P. Knight at the Baptist Mission Press, 41a, Lower
Circular Road, Calcutta, and Published by Benoytosh
Bhattacharyya, Director, Oriental Institute,

Baroda, on behalf of the Government
of His Highness the Maharaja
Gaekwad of Baroda.

Price Rs. 8-8-0.

PREFACE

This volume contains a concise translation of Hasan-i-Rumlti’s
Ahsanu’t-tawarikh. I have omitted the poetry, Quranic quotations,
and exaggerated descriptive passages, and condensed many other
passages, but have endeavoured to reproduce everything of practical
value. A short introduction precedes, and some general ex-
planatory notes follow, the translation. For these notes I have
consulted the relevant parts of original Persian authorities — the
Habibu’s-siyar, Lubbu’t-tawarikh, Jahan Ara, Sharafnama, Ta’rikh-i-
*Alam-Aray-i-‘Abbasi, Ta’rikh-i-Qipchaqkhani, Ta’rikh-i-badra,
Zafarnama, and other works — besides Mrs. Beveridge’s translation of
the Baburnama, and Elias and Ross’ translation of the Ta’rikh-i-
Rashidi. To Mrs. Beveridge’s Baburnama I am especially indebted.
I have also made use of such standard works as Howorth’s History
of the Mongols (cited as Howorth), Brosset’s Histoire de Georgie
(Brosset), Charmoy’s Pastes dela Nation Kurde (Gharmoy), Browne’s
Literary History of Persia (Browne), Hammer-Purgstall’s Turkish
History, Curzon’s Persia, etc. Certain persons and places I have,
nevertheless, been unable to identify.

I have transliterated names according to the system generally
adopted in India.

C. N. SEDDON.

INTRODUCTION

It was in 616 a.h. (1219 a.d.) that Chingiz Khan and his hordes
of savage Mongols burst upon the empire of the Khwarazm Shahs,
and carried ruin and destruction throughout Persia and the greater
part of the Moslem world. Chingiz* died in 624 a.h. (1227 a.d.),
and was succeeded by his third son Ughatay. Kuyuk followed
Ughatay in 644 a.h., and on his death the supreme power passed to
Mangu, a son of Chingiz Khan’s youngest son Tuluy. Soon after
this Htilagu, Mangu’s brother, headed a great expedition to Persia,
in the course of which the stronghold of the Assassins at Alamut
was destroyed, and Baghdad was taken and the last ‘Abbasid
Khalifa killed. Htilagu established himself at Maragha near Tabriz,
and died there in 663 a.h. Prom him were descended the Persian
Ilkhtos, who ruled over Persia till they fell victims to the inevitable
decay which comes upon all Oriental despotic dynasties. From the
death of Abti Sa‘id in 736 a.h. Persia was split up into provinces
ruled by their own Chiefs, till, in 782 a.h. the Barlas Turk Timur
began the campaigns which overthrew them all. The flaming sword
of this great conqueror carried ruin and death from Delhi to Asia
Minor, and from Baghdad to the confines of China. He died at
Utrar in 807 a.h.

Timur was succeeded by his fourth son Shah Rukh, whose pros-
perous and enlightened reign lasted till 850 a.h., when he died at
the old city of Ray, near the modern capital Tohran. During the
next few years various descendants of Timur enjoyed brief power,
struggling with the rival clans of the Black and White Sheep
Turkmans. The most notable figure among these Timtirids was
Sultto Abu Sa‘id, whose headquarters were at Herat. He suffered
defeat and death at the hands of the famous Uzun Hasan of the
White Sheep Turkmans in 873 a.h., and, two years later, the rule
over Her^t and Khurasan passed to another Timurid, Sultan
Husayn, whose power was at its height shortly before our chronicle
opens. In 900 a.h. we find Sultan Husayn’ s Court at Herat a centre
of literature and learning. But ifc was menaced by two daggers— the

Vlll

m.TRODIJCTION.

disaffection of his sons and the rising power of the Uzbek con-
federacy. Our chronicle shows how these dangers destroyed
Husayn’s family as soon as he himself was gone.

Sultan Husayn’s kingdom was Herat, and Khurasan, and
Astarabad, and as far east as Balkh. Further east members of
Sultan Abu Sa'id’s family held sway. Thus Sultan Ahmad ruled
in Samarqand — succeeded by Mahmud and then by Mahmud’s son
"Ali; ‘Umar Shekh was king of Farghana, till he died in 899 a.h.,
when his famous son Babur, then eleven years old, took his place.
Meanwhile on the other side of Persia there had arisen the power of
the Black and White Sheep Turkmans. The Black Sheep (Qara
Quyunlu, or Bartoi) Turkmans of Azarbayjan gradually obtained
possession of most of the Persian provinces, and Jahanshah, their
Chief, held nearly the whole of Persia save Khurasan and the
Caspian districts. But in 872 a.h. this prince was defeated and
slain by Uzun Hasan, the Chief of the White Sheep (Aq Quyunlu,
or Bayandur) Turkmans, whose history requires somewhat more
notice, for it was their power that Isma‘il Safawi broke and
destroyed.

The Bayandur or Aq Quyunlu Turkmans came from Asia
Minor. Their most famous ruler was the well-known Uzun Hasan
(Hasan Longshanks), who by his victory over Jahtoshah in 872 a.h.
obtained the overlordship of most of Persia. A year later Sultan
Abu Sa‘id marched from Khurasan against him. But Abu Sa‘id’s
army fell short of supplies, and he took refuge in Shirwan, trusting
in the succour of the Shirwto king Farrukh Yasar. Farrukh
Yasar, fearing the threats of the Bayandur Amir, gave him no help,
and he was surprised, defeated, and put to death by Uzun Hasan
(873 A.H.). A few years later Hasan engaged the Ottoman Turks,
by whom he was defeated, near Tarjan, in 879 a.h. (August,
1474 A.D.). This defeat hardly affected Hasan’s power in Persia.
Nor did the rebellion of his son, Ughurlu Muhammad, who fled to
Constantinople, where he was well received by the Turkish Sultan
and given a Turkish princess.

Hasan died in 882 a.h., and was succeeded by his son Khalil ;
Khalil, after reigning for a few months, was killed by his brother
Ya‘qub, who was crowned by the help of a certain Sufi Khalil of
Mawsil, and reigned at Tabriz till his death in 895 a.h. Ya’qub

INTRODTJCTION.

:ix

-was succeeded by his son Baysunqur, whose chief "Mf]p6rter was
one Sulayman Bizhan. But there was another grandson of Uzun
Hasan, Rustam Beg bin Maqsud bin Hasan. He had been confined
in the castle of Alanchiq, near Nakhchiwan, in the course of the
“fighting which ensued on Ya^qub’s death. Ibrahim bin Dana
Khalil (better known as Ayba Sultan), a powerful Chief of the
Qajar tribe, effected Rustam’s release, and marched against Sulayman
and Baysunqur. Sulayman fled to Diyarbakr, where he was
killed, and Baysunqur escaped to Shirwan. So Rustam was brought
to Tabriz, and set upon the throne. It is this Rustam that we meet
in the first page of the Ahsan. His power was far from secure, and
hardly extended to the outlying provinces, over which, with varying
degrees of independence, theii; own Princes or Governors held sway.

Isma^il, the first Shah of the Safawi dynasty, which supplanted
the Turkmans, was of a Sayyid family long settled in Ardabil,
tracing its descent from the Imam Musa al-Kazim. The first of the
family to settle at Ardabil was one Firuzshah-i-zarrin Kulah.
From him was descended the well-known saint Safiyyu’d-din. The
family was regarded by a numerous body of adherents with peculiar
veneration; and legend, if not history, tell us that many of the
Turkish prisoners taken by Timur were given to Khwaja ‘Ali,
then the head of the house, and settled near Ardabil as his retainers.
Shekh Junayd, fourth in descent from Safiyyu’d-din, was honoured
by Uzun Hasan with the hand of his sister Khadija. Their son,
Haydar, was the originator, they say, of the crimson twelve peaked
hat, commemorating the twelve Shi‘a Imams, which was known
as the Sufi ‘ taj ’, and which gave to his followers the celebrated
name of Qizilbash (Red heads). Haydar, too, married a White
Sheep princess, ‘Alamshah Begam, daughter of Uzun Hasan and
sister of Ya‘qub. He was not only a saint but a warrior, and his
religious wars against the Georgians led to his undoing. For these
expeditions had to pass through the territories of Farrukh Yasar,
King of Shirwan, and Farrukh Yasar objected. Ya^qub sent an
army under Sulaymto Bizhan to help the Shirwanis, and Haydar
was defeated and killed at Tabarsaran in 893 a.h., when Isma'il
was a baby one year old. Ya'qub sent the three small sons of
Haydar and 'Alamshah, 'All, Ibrahim, and Isma'il, to the castle of
Istakhr, near Shiraz, where they were kept for four and a ]>alf years.

i]s;troduotion.

Then Rustam Beg set them free, in order to utilize their followers-
against his cousin Baysunqur. Baysunqur was overthrown, but the
prestige of the ‘'Shekh’s sons” grew so great that Rustam, fearing
for his throne, sent Ayba Sultan to capture or destroy them. At this
point our chronicle begins.

To recapitulate — in 900 a.h. (1494 a.d.) North-Western Persia
was under the rule of Rustam Beg, Chief of the White Sheep
Turkmans ; Khuzistan was independent ; Pars was governed by
the Purnak Turkman Mansur Beg, in subordination to Rustam;
Shirwan, Gilan, Mazandaran, were under their own Chiefs; Yazd,
Kirman, and neighbouring districts, were more or less independent
under Turkman Governors; Khurasan was the territory of Sultan
Husayn. •

The Ahsan gives us a certain amount of Turkish history, and
makes occasional incursions into Indian affairs. We need pay little-
attention to the former — except where Turks and Persians come into
collision — and none at all to the latter. There is no value in
Hasan-i-Rumlu’s Indian history, nor does it in any way affect the
main theme of his work. Between the Ottoman SuRans and the-
Mongol and Turkish Chiefs who ruled over North-West Persia there-
had been occasional trouble — the last being the wars of Uzun
Hasan and the Ottomans. Certain of the Turkish tribes of Asia
Minor holding Shra doctrines were for long a serious menace to the-
Ottoman power. These tribes looked upon the Shekhs of ArdabiL
with veneration, and, when Isma‘il arose, they flocked to his standard.
It will be seen how this eventually led to the great struggle between
Persians and Shi‘a Turks on the one side and Ottoman Sunnis on the-
other at Chaldiran.

Lastly, we must mention the Uzbeks of Transoxiana, whose^-
constant attacks on Khurasan and Eastern Persia occupy so large
a space in the Ahsan. The Uzbeks were not a nation, or tribe,
but a political confederacy, which developed formidable power under*
Abul-Khayr of the Plain of Qipchaq, a descendant of Shayban bin
Jliji bin Chingiz IQito. Abu’l-Khayr died in 874 a.h., leaving eleven
sons, one of whom, Shekh Haydar, succeeded for a short time.
Another son, Shah Budaq, had married Qiizi Begam, a princess of'
Khatay, and, when he died at the age of twenty-five, their, son
Muhammad was brought up by his grandfather Abti’l-Khayr, who*

INTRODUCTION.

nicknamed him Shah Bakht, a name corrupted to Shaybak.
Muhammad Shaybak Khan Shaybani was born in 855 a.h., and
was eighteen years old when his grandfather died. The events of
the next few years are obscure, but Shaybak Khan was eventually
joined by the Uzbek Chiefs, and attacked and captured the forts
of Sayran, Sighnaq, and Utrar, and advanced upon Bukhara. There
he was received and helped by 'Abdu’l-‘Ali Tarkhan, the Governor.
At the opening of the Al^san we find him attacking Samarqand,
then under the nominal rule of Sultan ‘Ali bin Mahmtid bin Sultan
Abu Sa‘id, His capture of that place, his successful wars with
Babur, and the gradual extension of his power over Transoxiana,
Balkh, and Khurasan, until his conquests and his insults brought him
into fatal collision with Shah Isma‘il, are detailed in the Ahsan.

Having thus briefly explained the political situation when our
history begins, I next consider, equally briefly, the condition of
Persian administration as it was during the reigns of the three Shahs
whose history is sketched by the Ahsan. Unfortunately, this Chronicle
and other similar authorities give nothing but incidental information.
They are little more than records of perpetual strife. Administra-
tive, social, and economic facts have to be dragged, as it were, out
of their unwilling pages.

The Shah was an autocratic monarch, supported by the Chiefs of •
the great fighting clans from whose followers his army was drawn.
These clans, when united, furnished a formidable fighting force, but
quarrels between them were common, and these dissensions were a
grave source of weakness to the Shah. Thus, early in Tahmasp’s
reign, there was an insurrection of the Ustajlu Chiefs, owing to
Div Sultan Rumlu’s high-handed confiscation of their estates. A
little later we read of a Takalu rebellion. At the end of Tahmasp’s
reign strife between the tribes who supported Isma‘il Mirza and
those who followed Prince Haydar led to dissensions which the
monarch was unable to suppress.

Civil administration according to modern ideas hardly existed.
There were no modern conveniences, such as posts or made roads.
Letters had to be sent by private messengers. Public buildings,
such as rest houses, bridges, and caravanserais, were ^ade by

IN.TRODTJCTION.

Xll

enlightened Rulers and Ministers; a conspicuous example of the
latter was the celebrated Mir ‘Ali Nawa’i of Herat. Mosques and
colleges, town defences and forts, were built and repaired by Kings
and Governors.

Of the Ministers of the Crown the most important were the
Sadr and Wazir. The Sadr was always a Sayyid ; he was the head
of what may be described as the ecclesiastical department, and he
appears to have exercised considerable control of an inquisitorial
character over public morals and public worship. The Wazir was
the chief executive authority in matters not coming within the
sphere of the Sadr. Sadr and Wazir were officers whose appointment
was essential. As soon as Isma‘ll became Shah he made appoint-
ments to these offices, and changes are regularly recorded by the Ahsan,
and by the Jahan Ara and other records.

The central treasury — in Isma^il’s time often depleted, but kept
full in Tahmasp’s reign by the Shah’s avarice and parsimony — was
fed by tribute, or fixed payments, from the provinces, presents
from officials and subordinate princes, fines, and the produce of the
land-tax, transit duties, and other miscellaneous sources, in the
territories directly under the Shah. Sharaf Khan was entrusted
with the inventory of the treasure left by Shah Tahmasp, and he
found 380,000 tumans in cash, 6 bricks of gold and silver (each
weighing 3,000 misqals), equipment for 30,000 horsemen, 3,000 camels,
200 Arab horses for the Shah’s own use, 30,000 garments, and 200
kharwars of silk stuffs, etc.

The army was mainly a feudal force. If the Shah went on an
expedition he summoned his Chiefs to come with their men and
join him. Or, if he did not go himself, he nominated certain
Chiefs, and they took their own forces with them. The Qizilbash
soldiery was chiefly cavalry; its mobility was great, and it found
no difficulty in evading the Turkish armies. In the early battles
there is no mention of guns or muskets, though they must have
been known and used to some extent. Later on they are often
mentioned ; they may have come into commoner use after the battle
of Chaldiran in 920 a.h, had taught the Persians their value. The
qurchls, or picked troops of the feudal Chiefs, were supposed to be
paid, but payment was very irregular. Failure to pay the Shamlu
troopers 4n service at Herat led to the murder of Khwaja

IlTTRODTJOTIOlsr.

xiiJ

Habibullah; on the other hand Tahmasp’s neglect to pay his own
qtirchis for years together seems to have been accepted without
complaint. Khwandamir gives us an account of a darbar held bjr
Shah Isma‘il at Herat after his defeat of Shaybak Khan. Presents
were given to the Shah by all his Chiefs, and the Shah distributed
these presents amongst the qurchis. Probably such windfalls were
common enough.

The provinces were governed either by their own Princes or
by officials appointed by the Shah; such officials were generally
important Qizilbash Chiefs. The great province of Khurasan was-
usually given to a Eoyal Prince, assisted by a guardian, or adviser,
who was a Qizilbash noble and the real ruler of the province.
Provincial rulers were practically independent, so long as they were^
loyal, paid their tribute or contribution, provided armed assistance
in the Shah’s expeditions, and obeyed specific orders from head-
quarters. On important occasion such orders were solicited, as,
for example, when Humayun was expected at Herat. On that
occasion the most detailed instructions were sent by the Shah as tO'
the character of the reception to be given to the fugitive Emperor.
Tribute was sometimes difficult to collect ; Shah Ismael’s trouble
with Mazandaran was due to the failure of the Mazandaran Chiefs
to pay what had been agreed upon.

Provincial rulers had their own Sadrs and Wazirs, and their
courts, offices, and armed forces were, no doubt, administered
much the same as those of the Shah. In the disturbed state of
the country revenues must have come in with little regularity.
The main source was the land-tax and transit duties, and in the
towns the artizan tax — partly in cash and partly in kind. Every
town had its own Qazi, Kalantar, and other hereditary officials,,
and managed its own affairs, so long as the revenue was paid,,
superior orders obeyed, and disturbances avoided.

The Safawi dynasty is often described as the first national
Persian line since the days of the Sasanians. The Shekhs of Ardabil
were no doubt Persians, but Persians who claimed Arab descent^
and who spoke Turkish and surrounded themselves with an army
of Turkish tribesmen, many of whom came from lands outside
Persia. The language position was peculiar. Turkish tribesmen
formed a considerable proportion of the population, ^ and the

XIV

INTRODUCTION.

language of the Court ana army was mainly Turkish. In the towns
and country the common people spoke every variety of Turkish and
Persian dialect. Classical Persian was used for secular literature,
and for diplomatic correspondence — even between Ottoman and
Persian Courts, in both of which Turkish was commonly spoken.
For religious discussions and controversies Arabic was employed,
and in the mosques and madrassas there must have been a mixture
of Arabic and Persian — just as in the High Schools of India to-day
instruction is given in English helped out by more or less of the
local vernacular. In the days of the Safawis education meant the
pursuit of religious and philosophical controversy of a kind which
seems to western minds singularly barren and narrow. Fortunately
the professors of this learning occasionally indulged in the frivolity
of worldly ethics and other interesting trifles, as when Dawwani
wrote his Akhlaq-i-Jalali, or when Husayn the Preacher composed
the Akhlaq-i-MuhsinI and translated the Arabic version of the fables
•of Bidpay. Of the history written a fair sample is that of our
author. He must have produced a long record of earlier times, to
judge from his own references to his former writings ; of these
writings no trace, so far as I know, has remained. The poets
mentioned in the necrologies of the Ahsan, and in Tazkiras or
memoirs, are numerous; but few writers of real eminence adorn
the annals of the early Safawis. Every educated person seems to
have thought himself a poet, and to have been capable of turning
•out verses, which repeated with tedious monotony the stereotyped
phrases, forms, and ideas, of what passed for poetry.

Regarding religion in Persia we find in the Ahsan no mention of
Christians (except in Georgia), Jews, or Zoroastrians, though there
must have been many of these at various centres. It is difficult
to estimate the effect upon the masses of the people of the Royal
acceptance of Shi‘a doctrines. Isma'il cruelly persecuted Sunnis
in Shiraz and Herat, and no doubt in other places too. Tahmasp
was no less bigoted; the author of the Lubbu't-tawarikh was cast
into prison and died there because he was a Sunni. Isma'il II
■seems to have been inclined towards Sunni views, but this peculiarity
was as unpopular as was his murderous behaviour towards his
relations. It is perhaps worth noting that Shiism was not by any
means a^spSciality of men of Persian race. The Qizilbash army

INTRODTTCTION.

“was mainly Turkish, and Barik Beg fled from Baghdad on Isma^iFs
approach because Shiites were predominant in his territory.

On the national customs of the Persians in the Safaw! days and
the social and economic conditions in which they lived there is
practically no information in our history, or in other chronicles of
the time. We have the observations of such travellers as Herbert
and Peter Della Valle, and a little book recently published — Don
Juan of Persia, translated by Le Strange — gives us an interesting,
picture of certain aspects by a contemporary Persian. To that
book and to Malcolm’s History of Persia reference may be suggested.

The early Safawis and their followers were vigorous people, and
they deserve the credit they have gained for raising Persia to a
position of power and importance. But they were barbarously
cruel and bigoted. No mercy tempered Isma^lFs punishment of a
rebel or a coward, or his treatment of the religious leader who
failed to conform to ShFa doctrines, or disobeyed the Royal order
to curse the first three Khalifas. Tahmasp was much the same
when he was young ; in his old age he seems to have weakened, so
that he could not bring himself to suppress with the firmness
required by the case a mischievous and demoralizing disturbance
in Tabriz. In truth severity — even cruelty — was often needed,
and we must not judge the Safawi monarchs and their contem-
poraries by the standards which modern civilization has set
up. We have to picture a state of society far different from our
own, in feelings, morals, religious beliefs, social customs, material
welfare, scientific knowledge.

THE FAIREST OF CHRONICLES.

The writer of these scattered notes is the least of historians,
Hasan, grandson of Amir Sultan Rumlu. And he has written this
volume, too, in the name of the valiant Prince, Ismail Mirza. There-
in is written the history of mighty Shah Ismail, and of Shah Tahmasp
(may his kingdom endure). In it, too, are the histories of the Tur-
kish Sultans, and of the Chaghatay and Uzbek Chiefs, and of the
famous men of learning and ministers of their times. And by the
Khaqan-i-Iskandar Shto is meant Shah Ismail ; by Shah-i-Dln Panah,
Shah Tahmasp ; and by Shahzada-i-‘x4lamiyan, Ismail Mirza.

A.H, 900, The martyrdom of Sultan hy command of

Rustam Beg Turkman, and certain events of the time.

Now this year Rustam Beg sent the Princes(^) to Ardabil, to guide
the people from the way of error. But, when it came to his ears how the
people flocked to them, he feared for his throne, and he sent a man to
call Ismail and his brothers to his camp, and he commanded that no
Sufis should be with them. And that winter he spent at Khuy, and
in the spring he went to his summer quarters. And he tried to kill
Sultan All. But a faithful servant revealed the matter, and Sultan
Ali with his brothers hastened to Ardabil. And the Sufis and Ghazis
of these regions joined them. Now Rustam Beg had news of this,
and, in his folly, he sent his uncle’s son, Husayn Beg Ali Khani, with
Ayba(^) Sultan and a strong force, to Ardabil against Sultan Ali. And
Sultan Ali, by prophetic vision, knew that he was to die, and he took
his SQfi(^) cap from off his head, and set it on Ismail’s head, and
sent him to Ardabil. Then the enemy appeared, (^) and Ayba Sultan,
having placed men in ambush, went to the fight ; and when Sultan
Ali saw them he attacked like a lion, so that Ayba Sultan and
Husayn Beg Ali Khani could not stand against him, but fled. And
the Qizilbash army collected the spoil. But the men of Ayba Sultan
that were in ambush attacked them while^ they were thus engaged,
and cut them to pieces. Then three hundred men who were with
Sultan Ali charged. But he fell into a watercourse as he galloped,
and his neck was broken. And they cut off his head, and sent it to
Rustam Beg.

AHSANU’T-TAW ARIKH.

Certain matters relating to Shah Ismael, and his going to Ldhijdn.
Now after that Isma‘il had been crowned by his brother, they
sent him from the summer quarters to Ardabll with his brothers
before the battle, that he might live in the Holy Shrine. And after
Sultan ‘All’s death his mother, ‘Alamshah(®) Begam, brought his
body to the Holy place, and mourned for him. And she feared,
besides, that Isma‘il, too, might be cut off. And Ayba Sultan’s army
stretched forth hands of tyranny and plundering. Then the enemy
thought that the Sufis and disciples had taken the Prince from
Ardabil; but he was hiding there. At last they found that he was
in Ardabil with a certain woman, but they knew not who she
was. Now Shah Pasha Khatun, one of the daughters of Sultan
Shah Junayd, who was married to Muhammad Beg, strove to protect
Isma'il, For three days His Majesty was in the house of Qazi Ahmad
Kakull. But the house was hard by the shrine, and in a place
where men passed to and fro. So they took him to the house of a
woman named Khanijan, and he lived in her house for a month.
After that, by the counsel of Shah Pasha Khatun, he was taken to the
house of a Zu’l-Qadar woman named Aba, a servant of his childhood.
Thence he went to the mausoleum of Allah Virmash Agha, near the
Great Mosque. Now his mother, ‘Alamshah Begam, knew nought of
this; and, day by day, she grieved because of separation from her
son, till Aba told her. But daily Ayba Sultan’s men searched more
and more. And many orders came from Rustam Beg that the sons
and daughters of the master should be taken and slain, and even that
the Prince’s mother should be tortured. But the sacred precept
prevented this. And Aba was afraid, and they determined to take
the Prince away. Now a certain man, from among the Sufis and
Ghazis who had fought with Ayba Sultan, and had been hurt and fled
from the battle, was hiding in the Great Mosque, and he came to
Aba to be cured of his wound. And Aba told him of the Prince. So
he went to Rustam Beg Qaramtolti, the uncle of Bayram Beg, who
had fled from the battle and dwelt at Bughru, and told him. And in
the night Rustam Beg came to the great mosque at Ardabil, and took
the Prince behind his saddle to Bughru. And some say that eighty
men, who had fled from the battle with Ayba Sultan, and had
gathered together at Bughru, were with Rustam Beg, and bore away
the Prin«^e from Ardabil to the village of Gurgan, and for three days

AHSANU’T-TAW ARIKH.

he stayed in the house of Khalif Parmkhzad Gurgani. After that
Mansur Beg of Qipchaq, and Lala Beg, and Qurq(®) SidI 'All, and
Chalpan Beg, and Khulafa Beg, and Kuk 'Ali, and all the Sufis who
had escaped from the battle, took counsel together, till all agreed to
take the Prince to Resht, and stay there for some time. For between
Muhammad Beg, the husband of Shah Pasha Khatun, and Ahmadi
Beg, his brother, and Amira Ishaq, the Governor of Resht, was a friend-
ship of old. So Rustam Beg and Ahmadi Beg took Isma'^il and eighty
men of the Sufis, and brought them to the village of Tul ; and they
stayed some days in the house of Amira Muzaffar, Governor of Tul
and Nao, who made a feast for the Prince, and served him. Now,
when Ayba Sultan came to know that Isma^il was in the house of
Amira Muzaffar, he sent a maip to him, saying, that he should send
Shekh Haydar’s son to Rustam Beg with all his friends. And he
promised and threatened. So also Jahgir Beg Purnak, the Governor
of Tul and Khalkhal, sent to Amira Muzaffar in the same way. But
Amira Muzaffar said he knew not of all this. But, when they saw
that Jahgir Beg was also an enemy, they found it better not to stay
longer at Tul, but left to go to Kaskar. And Amira Muzaffar called
Amir Nush, a servant of Amira Siyawush, the Governor of Kaskar, to
the village of Dunya Char, which is of the villages of Kaskar, and gave
over the Shah and his companions to him to take them to Amira
Siyawush. And Muhammad Beg and Ahmadi Beg returned from Tul,
and wrote to Amira Ishaq, (^) the Governor of Resht, that he should
protect the Shah and his Stifis and companions. Though their return
grieved the Shah sorely, yet were they forced to go. And when
Amira Siyawush heard that the Shah was coming to Kaskar he met
him with all honour and service. And they were for three days in
his house, and he got them to Resht. There Amira Ishaq, whose love
was more than can be told, made a gi’eat banquet. And some say
that the Shah’s brothers Sayyid Hasan Mirza, Sayyid Sulayman
Mirza, Sayyid Baud Mirza, and Sayyid Mahmud Mirza, were his
companions in this journey. Others say, they joined him at Resht ;
and yet others that the Shah and his brothers went by way of Aq
Dagh to Masula, and from thence to Resht. But there was no man
who went by that road with the Shah ; and it is true that the Shah
stayed at Resht with his brothers. And at Resht is a mosque, known
as the White Mosque, which is still there. There they stayed ; and

ai^santi’t-tawarIkh.

its air and spaciousness, and the fashion of it, pleased the Shah, so
that he did not leave it, or go to Amira’s house. And hard by the
mosque was a goldsmith’s shop, and the goldsmith, Mir Najm,(^)
served the Shah, and was favoured. And in the matter of the Shah’s
stay in Resht there is divergence. Some say that it was not more
than seven days ; others twenty days ; others a month.

Now when Kar Kiya Mirza "All, Governor of Lahijan, knew that
the Shah had come, and Amira Ishaq could not protect him and his
companions, he prayed that he should come to Lahijan. And Isma^il,
feeling assured of his loyalty, determined to go there. And at Lahi-
jan a house was given him, opposite the Madrassa of Kiya Paridun.
Now Ayba Sultan, till he heard of all this, was at Ardabil ; and there-
after he returned to Rustam Beg; moreover he caught Musammat
Aba, and brought her to Rustam Beg, who commanded that she
should be hanged in the Tabriz square. And Ayba Sultan told of the
conduct of Muhammad Beg and Ahmadi Beg. So Rustam Beg was
angered, and he attached their possessions. But they appealed to
Qara Dada, the old retainer of Rustam Beg, and he interceded for
them. And they were fined thirty thousand tangas,(®) and were
forgiven.

The stay of the Shah at Lahijan.

Now Kar Kiya Mirza ‘Ali served the Shah faithfully, and found
favour in his eyes. And Sufis from all parts, from Turkey and
Qaracha Dagh and the district of Mushkin, came with presents, and
returned to their own lands. And Ismail read the Holy Quran with
Mawlana Shamsu’ddin of Lahijan. And, besides Amir Najm, the
goldsmith, Sultan Hasan and Amir Hashim, brothers of Kar Kiya
Mirza, were his friends and protectors. And Ismail fell sick. And
Mawlana Ni‘matullah ministered to him ; but his sickness was on
him for one year, and then abated.' After this he ordered that Shah
Pasha Khatun, his uncle’s wife, should send him presents, and specially
the fine bread that he loved, from Ardabil.

So Shah Pasha Khatun sent these things to Gilan with her
servants, and Mir Najm the goldsmith, Mir Hasan son of Mir Musa,
and Amir Jahangir of Resht, the agents of Amira Ishaq, accompanied
them. And Ismail sent Ktik "All to meet them, and aU went to
Lahijan.^ And Ismail sent certain of the presents to Kar Kiya and

ahsantj’t-tawarikh.

his brothers, and shewed all hospitality. And they abode three days
in Lahijan, and were suffered to return. And the chiefs of Lahijan
who had received gifts sent in return all manner of presents, and rich
stuffs, and fatted fowls, and fish, and oranges, and all the products of
Gilan. And when they reached the village of Kurim, near Ardabil,
Shah Pasha Khatun, and Muhammad Beg met them. Then they
went to Rustam Beg at Tabriz, and begged for the return of Muham-
mad Beg’s property. So, when Qara Dada interceded, it was restored ;
and they were given robes of honour. Moreover, it was commanded
that they should not be further troubled.

Miscellaneous events.

Now Mansur Beg Purnak(^®) was made to retire from the
Governorship of Pars, which was given to Nur 'Ali Beg.(^^) But
Sidi ^41i Beg Purnak represented that Shiraz was Mansur Beg’s
arsenal. So Pars was restored to him. But he fell sick, so that he
•could not work, and Shah Quli Beg, his deputy, acted for him. Then
Qasim Beg, the Mi r-i-divan , through envy, killed Shah Quli Beg,
and, not content with this, he prevailed over Mansur Beg, and ordered
all matters. And his agents stretched out the hand of tyranny ; above
all his Wazir , Ruhullah of Qazwin.

Deaths.

In the month of Rabi-^u’l-awwal died Sultan Mahmud Mirza,(^^)
son of Sultan Abu Sa'id. He was an evil king. His age was forty-
three, and his realm was Samarkand and Bukhara and Badakhshan.
He left five sons — Sultan Mas‘ud Mirza, Sultan ‘Ali Mirza, Sultan
Husayn Mirza, Baysunqur Mirza, and Sultan Uways Mirza. This year
also Sayyid Razin’ d-din Murtaza bin Sayyid Sharif died, aged seventy
years.

A.H. 901. Sultan Husayn Mlrzai}) goes to Hisdr Shddmdn.

Early in this summer Sultan Husayn Mirza set out to conquer
Badakhshan, Qunduz, and Baghlan. And he crossed the Oxus and
camped at the village of Birja. When Sultan Mas‘ud heard of his
coming he entrusted the fort of Hisar to Amir Baqir, Amir Mahmud
Barlas, and Danish ‘Ali, the camel driver, and with a few men fled to
the city of Sabz. And Sultan Husayn surrounded His^, which was

ahsanu’t-tawarIkh.

sore pressed. So they sent envoys offering to yield, and promising
that, if the Sultan would return to Herat, they would send him the
daughter of Sultan Maiimud Mirza. So, having finished the matter of
Hisar, the Sultan turned to Qunduz, and Khusraw Shah,f) the
Governor of that place, sent Nazar Bahadur with presents, and the
Sultan accepted them, and returned to Herat. And he bestowed the
governorship of Balkh on Bad^u’z-zaman, his eldest son.

Miscellaneous events.

Forty days after the New Year day many gathered at the
tomb of Sa‘di(^) at Shiraz. And Amir Yusuf Beg, son of Sultan
Ahmad Jawlan, with certain chiefs — among them being Isma'il Beg,
son of Sufi Khalil, (^) and Tayyib Agha, Governor of Isfahan —
attacked Qasim Beg Purnak. But the Shirazis prevailed, and Isma^il
Beg and Tayyib Agha were slain, and Amir Yusuf Beg fled. After
this Qasim Beg visited Rustam Beg. And Rustam and his ministers
were fain that he should not return to Shiraz. Nevertheless many of
the chiefs were Purnaks, and they took his part. Moreover, he spent
much money. Therefore the governorship of Fars was again bestowed
upon him; but Khwaja Ruhullah, his Wazir, was put to death.

A.H. 90S. Ahmad PadshoJiQ) comes from Turkey,
and Rustam Beg is killed.

This year Husayn ‘Ali Tarkhani went to Turkey, and he reported
to Sultan Bayazid that Adarbayjan and ‘Iraq were empty of troops,
and could easily be taken, if Ahmad B^,son of Ughurlu Muhammad, son
of Hasan Padshah, who was heir to that country, should be sent with
an army. So Ahmad Beg was sent with Husayn ^Ali Tarkhani and a
Turkish army. And when his coming was noised abroad, the Turkman
leaders joined him. And Husayn Beg ‘Alikhani put to death, near
Sultaniyya, (^) ‘AbduT-karim Beg Lala, one of Rustam Beg’s nobles.
And on the first of Ramazan the Khutba was read and coins were
struck in the name of Ahmad Beg. Then Rustam Beg, hearing such
evil news, set out with a strong army to meet Ahmad. And their
armies met and fought on the banks of the Aras river. But, while the
battle was being waged, Ayba Suit to joined Ahmad Beg ; and Rustam
Beg was taken and killed. Thus Ahmad Padshah was freed from his
fellow kiiJg ; and he set out for Tabriz, and sat on the throne with all

AHSANU’t-TAW ARIKH.

pomp and splendour. Now Husayn Beg ‘Ali Kliani was the chief of the
nobles in power and greatness; by reason of the enmity which he
bore towards Muzaffar Purnak Ahmad commanded that Husayn should
be killed. And in Ahmad’s honour Mawlana Ziayi(®) of Urdubad
composed a qasida, for which Ahmad gave him a purse of gold.

The ivar(^) between Sultan ^usayn Mlrza and BadVu^z-zaman,

This year Badi'u’z-zaman rebelled. And his father heard of it at
Herat, and hastened to Balkh against him. And these two met at
the valley of Pul-i-chiragh. But when Badi'u’z-zaman beheld the
Royal standard he fled. And his father returned with much booty to
Herat.

Deaths,

Shah Gharib Mlrza, (®) son of Sultan Husayn Mirza, died of a
sudden illness.

Rustam Padshah bin Maqsud Beg bin Hasan Padshah was a
kindly man. No prince of the lines of the White or Black sheep
Turkmans had been so generous in grants to the deserving. His
motto was, ''Do Justice”. He reigned five and a half years, and he
ruled over Persian 'Iraq, Arabian 'Iraq, Adarbayjan, Pars and
Diyarbakr.

A,H, 908, The war of Ayha Sultan and Ahmad Padshah.

After he had put Husayn Beg 'Ali Khani to death Ahmad Pad-
shah reigned at Tabriz. And he sent Ayba Sultan to Kirman as
Governor, and sent for Qasim Beg Purnak, the Governor of Shiraz.
And Qasim received his envoy, but feared and thought to escape.
Then he heard that Ayba Sultan, being on his way to Kirman, had
reached the Tomb(^) of Solomon’s mother. So he met him and
brought him to Shiraz. And he seized Ahmad Padshah’s envoy, and
had the Khutba recited in Ayba Sultan’s name ; and his name was
Ibrahim. And they covenanted to call Sultan Murad bin Ya'qub
Padshah from Shirwan, (^) and set him on the throne, and that they
two should be his Wakils. And they took much money from the
people, and especially from Mawlana Jalalu’d-din Muhammad Daw-
wani and Sadru’d-din Muhammad. Thereafter these two set out
for Isfahan. Then Ahmad advanced against them, and on Thurs-
day the seventeenth day of the month of Rabi' he met them at
Khwaja Hasan-i-mazi.(®) And certain of Ayba Sultan’s men joined

ahsantj’t-tawarIkh .

Ahmad, and Ayba took down his standard and would fain have fled.
But, when Ahmad’s men busied themselves with plunder, Ayba
attacked and slew Ahmad, and set his head upon a spear. And
Ahmad’s army fled. Thus Ayba prevailed. And he set out for his
winter quarters at Qum, and had the Khutba recited in the name of
Sultan Murad, for whom he sent to Shirwan. And he established his
court at Qum, and set up a throne, and placed a turban below the
throne. And daily he would go there and attend to affairs, and make
a Royal banquet. And in the spring he set out for Tabriz. But be-
fore he arrived certain men had brought Sultan Murad from Shirwan.
And they withstood Ayba Sultan. But he did battle with them and
prevailed. And he shut up Sultan Murad in the fort of Ru’indiz(^)
and made his mother his own wife. Amd he brought Alwand Beg bin
Yusuf Beg bin Hasan Padshah to Tabriz and set him on the throne.

The second quarrel of Sultan Husayn and BadVu’z-zamdn,

This year Sultan Husayn was at Ulang-i-Nishm,(®) making
inquiry into the misdeeds of his ministers. And, when Badi'u’z-
zaman at Qandahar heard of the dispersal of his army, he hastened
with Shuja 'Beg bin Amir Zu’n-nun Arghun and an army from Qan-
dahar, and in six days he arrived near Sabzawar. Then Paridun
Husayn Mirza was besieged in Sabzawar. So he sent to the Court a
courier, who arrived on the tenth of Shawwal. And the Sultan sent
to Herat, and commanded Amir 'Ali Shir to send to the camp such
men as he could get from the districts. And that same day Amir
Muhammad Wall Beg, ‘Umar Beg, and Amir Baba 'Ali came from
Astarabad. But before they came the Royal scouts reported
that Badi'u’z-zaman had raised the siege of Sabzawar, and was
hastening against them. Had Badi‘u’z-zaman come that night he
might even have prevailed. But he slept, and in the morning came
to the field of battle. And Sultan Husayn drew up his army. And
Sultan Mas'Qd Mirza came with five hundred men ; for he had left
Shadman and come to the Royal camp for help, by reason of the
revolt of Amir Khusraw Shah. AndFaridun Husayn Mirza, and Amir
‘Abdu’l-latif and other Chiefs, came from Sabzawar. So Badi'u’z-
zaman found the Royal camp full of horse and foot. Then the battle
was fought, and the men of the land of Dawar and Qandahar were
overthrown.^ And Badi'u’z-zaman fled to the mountains of Ghur.

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

And they pursued after him, and Amir 'Umar Beg overtook him.
But Amir Yusuf Isfandlyar took a spear from the hand of Badfu’z-
zaman, and smote Amir 'Umar Beg, and broke his teeth and cast him
from his horse. And Gada 'All, the chief of the stables, overtook
Shuja 'Beg. But Shuja 'Beg smote him with his sword, so that he
turned back. And Sultan Husaym Mirza returned victorious to Herat.

Deaths.

Ahmad Beg bin Ughurlu Muhammad bin Hasan Pi^dshah was a
cherisher of the people, and in his time the gates of taxation were
barred. And he strictly forbade the drinking of wine, even among
the chiefs. He was a great patron of the learned, being himself a
learned man; and in his assemblies men spoke of learned matters.
He was wont to write letters in place of orders to Mawlana Jalalu’d-
din Dawwanl and Mir Sadru’d-din Muhammad, and he would seal the
letters himself. And he would fain have stopped the oppression of his
subjects and of the weak by the Turks. Wherefore the Turks were
against him in their hearts, but openly they obeyed his commands.
And he knew this, and was wont to kill one of them every few days.
But he was niggardly, and he grudged the grants of earlier kings. And
he reigned for six months. His face was very red and white, and he
was short, with short legs, and arms; wherefore he was known as
Pumpkin Ahmad and a poet wrote of him as a Turkish cabbage that
ruled the world and was dug into the ground when the autumn came.
His motto was "Let the poor smile”.

Amir Sadru'd-din Muhammad bin Amir Ghiyas-u’d-din Man-
sur (®) died on Friday the twelfth of Ramaz to aged seventy-five.
In his youth he read with Mawlana Qiwamu’d-din GulbM. And
he built a mosque at Shiraz, and taught there. Among his writings
.are: — ^New notes on the Tajrld, Isbat-I-Wajib, Notes on the Matali',
Notes on the Shamsiyya, and a tract styled Tahqlq-i-'ulum.

Mansiir Beg Purnak, Governor of Shiraz, also died this year.
Fazil Nuqtachl Ughall came from Turkey; Ahmad Padshah was a
patron of his, and with Ahmad he was killed.

Amir Khwand, the writer of the Rauzatu’s-safa, died on the
. second of Zil-Qa'da, aged sixty-six.

Muhammad Mumin Mirza bin Badl'u’z-zaman was put to death
by the order of his grandsire.

1 0 AHSANU’T-TAWABIKIH.

A.H. 904, The war between Muhammadl Mlrzd, and Alwand Beg.

Muhammad! Mirza bin Yusuf Mirza bin Hasan Padshah was with
Ahmad Beg in the battle with Ayba Sultan, and, when Ahmad was
slain, he fled to Yazd. And Murad Beg Bayandur, Governor of Yazd,
with the help of Ashraf Beg, proclaimed him King, and set out for
Shiraz. And they were met by Qasim Beg Purnak, hard by Nayin,
and a hard flght was fought, wherein Qasim Beg was overthrown.
But he fled to Sayin Fort, and sent to Ayba Sultan for help. And
Muhammad! Mirza came to Shiraz, and gave the Governorship to
Mansur Beg Afshar. Thereafter he set out for Traq, and took Isfa-
han, and marched to Ray, and stayed there for the winter. But Ayba
Sultan, Alwand Sultan, and Qasim Beg, came to Traq, and Muham-
madi Mirza fled to Mir Husayn Kiya Chulawi. And Ayba Sultan and
Alwand wintered at Qum, and sent Qasim Beg to Shiraz. And Guzil
Ahmad, brother of Ayba Sultan, they sent to winter at Waramin with
most of the chiefs and a strong army. Then Muhammad! Mirza and
Mir Husayn Kiya Chulawl attacked Guzil Ahmad and captured his
gear, and he fled back to Ayba SuRan. And in the middle of the
winter Alwand went to Adarbayjan, and Muhammadi gathered men
in Traq and followed after him, and there was a great battle at
‘'Aziz Kandi.(^) And Alwand was overthrown and fled with a few
men to Diyarbakr; but Ayba was killed. And Wali Qasim, the
Governor of Diyarbakr, met Alwand, and set him on the throne.
And Muhammadi conquered Adarbayjan, and set up his standard at
Tabriz. Then Alwand, leaving Wall Qasim, set out for Tabriz, and
Muhammadi, w^hen he heard of his brother’s coming, fled to Sultaniyya.
So Alwand took Tabriz, and made Latif Beg his Wakil.

And this year Mansur Beg Afshar advanced towards Shlr&.z,
and Qasim Beg Purnak hastened against him. And a battle was
fought at Shulistan,(^) and the Afshars prevailed and captured
Qasim Beg. But he escaped near Istakhr, and threw himself into the
Fort.

Battle between Sultan Husayn and his sons at Halwa Chashma.i^)

Sultan Husayn raised his standard at Marv against Abu’l-Muhsin
Mirza and Kupuk Mirza, his sons. And Abu’l-Muhsin was besieged
in Marv ; and after four months, he saw no help but to yield, and he
sent to hfe father and asked for pardon. So the Sultan had mercy on

a^santt’t-tawaejkh.

him, and departed for Mnrghab. Then his sons again rebelled and
met together at Ablward.(^) And the Sultan heard of this at Baba
Khaki, and he moved against them, though he was sick and in a
palanquin. And when they heard of this they moved to Nisa. Then the
Sultan sent MuzafEar Husayn Mirza, Haydar Muhammad Mirza, Ibn
Husayn Mirza, and Mir Muhammad Buranduq Barlas,(®) to pursue
them. And they found them at Halwa Chashma. And Muzaffar
Husayn was in the centre, and Muhammad Mirza on the right, and
Ibn Husayn on the left. And on the other side Abu’l-Muhsin Mirza
was in the centre, and Kupuk Mirza on the right. And the Sultan’s
right and left were overthrown, and the Sultan left his palanquin and
mounted a horse. And when the princes saw the standard of Sultan
Husayn their hearts failed them, and they fled.

Deaths.

Amir Husayn the Riddler(®) died from diarrhoea, and was buried
under the dome of the Ikhlasij^ya Madrassa. His works include a
tract on the art of making riddles.

A.H. 905, The war between Sultan Murad and
MuJiammadi Mirza.

Now Guzil Ahmad and Parrukh Shah Beg Bayandur went to
Tabriz, and brought Sultan Murad, and set out for Shiraz. And
Qasim Beg left the fort of Istakhr and joined them. Then Muham-
mad! Mirza, having heard of this, marched against them, and Sultan
Murad left Shiraz for Isfahan; and the armies met at Kar Ulang.(^)
And Piri Beg attacked Qasim Beg, and he fled, and stayed not till he
reached Shiraz. And in the battle the collar of Sultan Murad fell on
the ground, and Pahlawan Shahi picked it up, and with it rallied the
men of Sultan Murad who had fled. And they saw Muhammadi
Mirza alone standing below his standard ; and Sultan Murad charged,
and the men of Muhammadi Mirza were overcome, and he was killed,
and Piri Beg Afshar and Ashraf Beg also tasted death, and their chiefs
were scattered. And of them Pir ‘Ali strengthened Sawa ; Pir Muham-
mad took up his quarters at Qum, and Qiya Beg at Kashan. Then
Sultan Murad, with fifty thousand men, appeared before Sawa, and
besieged Pir ^Ali for fifty days. And Pir 'Ali sent to ask for peace,
and peace was made. And Abdal Beg, his son, came out of the fort,

ahsanu’t-tawarIkh.

and became a servant of Sultan Murad. Then Sultan Murad departed
for Adarbayjan, and he was met by Alwand near Abhar. And a
darwish, whose name was Baba Kha3rrullah, met these princes, and
inclined their hearts to peace. The river of Qizil Uzun(^) was made
the boundary. Adarbayjan, Arrto, and Diyarbakr, were given to
Alwand; Traq, Pars, and Kirman, to Sultan Murad. After this
Alwand went to Tabriz, and Sultan Murad passed the winter at
Qazwin. There Pir ‘Ali Beg and Pir Muhammad Beg came to him,
and were received ; and also Mansur Beg Afshar and his sons. And
Sultan Murad sent for Pahlawan Shahl, who had picked up the collar
in the battle with Muhammadi Mirza, and made him Darogha of
Milazjird, which is a village of Natanz. Por he asked for this, say-
ing that his father had been a farmer there.

ShaJi Isma'il leaves LaJiijan. He goes to Guhcha Denglz,
and meets Sultan Husayn Bdranl,

Now Isma‘il desired to go to Ardabil, that with the help of his
forefathers he might win the Kingdom from the heretics. And Kar
Kiya sought to dissuade him, for he was young and his men were few
and his enemies many. But Isma‘il went to Kar Kiya, and was
urgent in his presence. Then he set out for Arjuwan,(®) and Kar
Kiya went with him for two leagues and returned. And Isma'il
camped at Daylaman, and then at Tarum. There he beheld his army,
and fifteeen hundred Sufis from Turkey and Syria were gathered with
him. And fearing Mir Husamu’d-din he left Tarum for Khalkhal,
and camped at Burida, and next day he came to the fields of the
Shamlus and Guzar-i-Khalkhal. At this place were melons such as’ he
loved; therefore he stayed there some days. And Shekh Qasim
made a feast for him, and roasted forty sheep, and prepared other
food. And, marching from thence, he reached the village of Kuri-i-
Khalkhal, and stayed in the house of Malik Muzaffar, the Standard
bearer of Sultan ‘Ali Padshah, who was known as Khulafa Beg.
There he stayed a month, and from thence he went to the village of
Sasabad of Ardabil, and thence to the village of Alawarq, and to
Ardabil, where he did homage at the shrine of the great saints. But
the Governor of Ardabil and Mughanat on behalf of Alwand B^eg,
Sultto "All Beg Chakarlu, forbade him to stay at Ardabil, or said he
should Jje feady to fight. So the next day he left Ardabil, and went

AHSANtr’T-TAWARiKH.

to Marbi, and sent to Mirza Muhammad Talish, and asked him to
appoint a place for him. And Mirza Muhammad said that all things
were ready. So Isma‘il wintered at Arjuwan, and Mirza Muhammad
strove to do all service — more than pen can write. And Isma'il spent
his time fishing. Then Sultan 'All Beg Chakarlu sent a man to the
mother of Mirza Muhammad, and promised reward if Isma'il could be
drowned in the river wherein he was wont to fish. And Hamza
Talish, the Manager of Mirza Muhammad, and Sultan ‘Ali Beg
Chakarlu, assented thereto, and waited for an occasion. And in the
beginning Mirza Muhammad knew nought of this, but he divined it
from his mother’s doings. And he rebuked his mother, and punished
Hamza Talish, and strove to hide the matter. But Amira Agha of
Gilan came to know of it, and Jie spoke to Lala Beg and Khadim Beg,
and they told Shah IsmaTl. Then Mirza Muhammad hastened to the
Shah, and swore that he had known nought of this plot. And his
oath was accepted. And others (^) say that Muhammad Beg, the
brother of Ahmadi Beg, was at that time in the service of Mirza
Muhammad ; and Alwand Beg sent a man to Mirza Muhammad and
Muhammad Beg and promised them Ardabil and Khalkhal, if they
would take IsmaTl and send him to him. And Mirza Muhammad was
in doubt, but Muhammad Beg said that a Talish man could not do
this for any earthly rule. So Mirza Muhammad kept himself from
this wickedness, and Muhammad Beg told the Shah privily.

And after this Farrukh Yasar, the King of Shirwan, sent to Mirza
Muhammad, and bade him to send IsmaTl and his brothers to him.
But IsmaTl heard of it, and took the way of caution. And hearing
that Mirza Muhammad was coming to Court, the chiefs, Husayn Beg
Lala and Abdal Beg Dada and Bayram Beg Qaramanlu, thought it
better that men should meet him with arms under their clothes and
mix with his men, and slay him if he were an enemy. And certain
of the Rumlu and Shamlu Sufis armed themselves, and were ready.
Then Mirza Muhammad came, and Isma'il sent Khadim Beg Lala and
Abdal Beg Dada to meet him and discover what was in his heart.
And, when Mirza Muhammad saw them afar off, again he protested
his loyalty. So they brought him to IsmaTh And he brought and
read the Shirwan letter, and swore on the Holy Quran that he was
loyal. And he asked that Ismail should not believe vain tales about
him. And Ismail gave to him, and to each of his men, dresses of

AHSANTT'T-TAW ARIKH .

honour, and gladdened their hearts with Royal favours. And that
dlay he stayed in the Royal camp, and departed next day to Bisha
Kinar. Sufis, also, who had been kept back, were suffered to go.

This year, after the New Year day, a great cold set in, destroying
the spring flowers and freezing the birds, so that men caught them
and brought them to the Shah. And Isma'il had a snow fort built
with three gates. And he remained under the fort, and appointed
men to be within it, and men to attack it on two sides, and was him-
self on the third side. And he took it. After this he went towards
Gukcha Dengiz,(^) and stayed at Langar Kunan for a day in the
village of Shahsuwar Beg. And from thence he marched to the village
of Matiyan, and stayed in the house of Noshir Beg Talish, Governor of
Mughanat. Thence he hasted to Ganja. And on the way he heard
that one of the family of Mirza Jahanshah, named Sultan Husayn
Barani, (®) was at Gukcha Dengiz with men, and had plundered that
country. So he took counsel with his nobles. And in the meantime,
a messenger came bearing a letter, wherein the Barani desired to put
on the livery of submission and obedience and service if Isma'il would
come to him. But Isma^il.knew that this was but flattery and false-
ness. And His Majesty stayed some days at Gukcha Dengiz, and
Sultan Husayn Bartoi came to him with treacherous purpose, asking
him to visit him. And, while they were on the way to the Bartoi’s
camp, a thousand men joined Isma'il. And he kept his men apart
from the Baranl’s camp, but stayed in that neighbourhood three days.
And the Barani sent present to Isma‘il and his nobles, but Isma‘ll
thought it well to depart from that place. And when the Barani
heard of this, he sent for the chiefs, and asked them if the Shah would
stay. They answered that they knew that he would not consent.
So he sought to take Isma'il and his nobles. And he asked if the
Shah would come to his house. But the nobles, knowing his falseness,
excused Isma'il, saying he was sick. And, leaving Husayn Beg Lala
with Ismail, the others went to the Barani to the feast, saying that
Ismail was sick and could not come. And the Barani believed them,
and made a great feast. Then Ismail thought good to depart, and he
marched away towards, Chukhur Sa‘d{^) at night, leaving lights and
camp fires burning, so that men afar off would think that food was
being cooked. And the next morning the Barani found that the Shah
had gonij ; and he was angered and followed after him. But the Shah

AHSANTj’T-TAWARiKH.

feared not his hosts, but stood firm. And he feared to come up with
him, and returned back. So Isma'il reached Chukhur Sa'd. And
from thence he marched to Du Quzalam. (®)

The coming of Qardcha Ilids and the Turkish Sufis.

Then men began to incline towards Isma'il, and to flock to his
camp. And among them came Qaracha Ilias and an army of Sufis
from Turkey to Shura Gil,(®) and from thence to the Eoyal camp.
And a certain Mantash(^‘^) had there a fort, and he met them, and
made a feast, and brought certain of the Turkish Sufis to his house,
and appointed his own men to plunder them. But they escaped, and
came to Court and reported this matter. Then Isma'iPs anger was
kindled, and he set out against Mantash and his fort. And Mantash
left it to his men, and fled. And Isma'il came ; but, when his men
were busy with plunder, they were attacked. Yet the attack was
driven back, and much plunder was taken. Then Isma‘il went to
Tar3an(^^) by way of Qaqazman to the summer quarters of Saruqiyya.
And there he heard of a bear, living in a cave and troubling men.
And his men surrounded that beast, and it came out of the cave.
And Isma‘il, being then but thirteen years of age, slew that fierce
beast with a single arrow. And he stayed there for two months, and
departed for Arzinjan.

Events in Khurasan.

While Sultan Husayn Mirza was at Astarabad, Badi‘u’z-zaman
hastened to the province of Herat from Sistan, and Amir Zu’n-nun
from the Land of Dawar(^^) ; and they plundered the herds and
flocks of the nobles. Thereat Amir ‘Ali Shir and Muhammad Wali
Beg, and the other Chiefs, were sore distressed. And when Badi-
^u’z-zaman reached Awba(^®) Amir Zu’n-nun went ahead. And when
the men of the districts saw him alone they thought that Badi'u’z-
zaman had gone back. And Muhammad Ma'sum Mirza came from
Chichiktu{^*) to Herat. When Muhammad Wali Beg heard of this,
he went out with two or three thousand men, and he kept in reserve
Muhammad Ma'sum Mirza. He took the right wing himself, and
entrusted the left to Sayyid ‘Abdullah Mirza and Amir Baba ‘Ali.
At Lak Khana(^®) Badi‘u’z“zaman joined Amir Zu’n-nun, and the
scouts reported that the rebels were in sight. So the two armies met
near Ulang-i-Nishin ; and Badi‘u’z-zaman joined in the batSle whereat

AHSANXT’T-TAW ABiKH .

‘Abdullah and Amir Baba ‘All fled, and, after them, Muhammad
Ma‘sum Mirza and Amir Muhammad Wali Beg. And Muhammad
Ma‘sum Mirza, and Sayyid ‘Abdullah reached the Royal camp, but
Amir Muhammad Wali Beg went to the city and shut the gates. Then
Badi‘u’z-zamto surrounded the city, hoping to take it without fight-
ing. Forty days later news came that the Sultan was returning.
Then Amir ‘Ali Shir sent to Badi‘u’z-zamto, and made him fear to
strive with his father. So he hastened to Murghab by the bridge(^^)
of Malm. And four days later Sultan Husayn Mirza reached Herat.

Events in Turkey.

Now this year Sultan Bayazid marched against the country of
the infidels with an army more in number than the sands of the
desert, having gathered together weapons of war and guns and many
ships, in which were guns and cannon. And there were two ships,
which the Prankish sailors and the men of Rumelia call ‘kukas’,(^®)
such that none but Kings can make, for each one costs twenty-four
thousand ashrafis. Now the ships and their names are these — kuka,
mawna, barja, qadraqa, qalian, darja. And the qadraqa has no sails,
but is driven by oars ; it is of all ships the swiftest. That which is
called a kuka is like a bow within an arrow ; but the bow ever moves,
and the arrow is fixed. The mawna is like a castle ; large and broad.
That known as a qalian is like a mawna; but smaller. And a darja
is the smallest of all ; but it is swift to move.

On the eighth of Shawwal Sultan Bayazid set out. Baud Pasha,
Governor of Gallipoli, with his army and sailors, and the admirals
Rais Kamal and Rais Buraq, were in the two kukas ; and there were
three hundred other ships. And the Turkish warriors, with many
guns, set out for the straits of Gallipoli, to go to the island of Morea,
and thence to Lepanto.(^®) But Sultan Bayazid went by land to
surround the fort. And when they reached Morea, the Ruler of
Venice, the Lord of Lepanto, prepared a large army, with ships, to
meet them. And a contrary wind arose, so that the Turks took their
ships into a strong place and waited for about twenty days, and sent
news of this to the Sultan. So Abnad Pasha Kharsak tJghali was
sent against the infidels, the wind becoming favourable. And the
Frankish army, with a hundred and fifty ships, came against them.
In each ^hip were seven cannon and twenty mortars, and every gun

AgiSANU’T-TAWlRiKH.

fired a shot from five to twenty maunds in weight. And against
them came Rais Kamal and Rais Buraq. And in the battle they cast
grappling irons on Rais Buraq’s ship and threw white naphtha, and
the Turks could not free their ship. So two ships of the infidels and
one Turkish kuka were burnt. Kamal Beg, Qara Hasan, and Rais
Buraq were slain, and seven hundred more that fell into the sea. One
mawna and one barja of the Pranks were broken, and fifteen hundred
men were drowned ; also a Prankish qalian was damaged, and three
hundred men were killed. Then the Pranks fled, and the Turks made
for Lepanto. And again, after three months, the infidels came against
the Turks, and again they fled. Then the Turks surrounded the fort
by land and sea, and the Franks yielded it up. And Sultan Bayazid,
having entrusted it to faithful ^en, returned to Adrianople. And he
commanded Sinan and Mustafa Pashas to make two forts opposite the
fortress. And they did so.

Events in Khurasan.

This year Muhammad Husayn Mirza made for Isfarain,(^®) and
put Amir Badru’“d-din(^^) to death. And when Muzaffar Husayn
Mirza heard of this, he got ready for war, and set out for Sabzawar,
and sent Amir Muhammad Qasim bin Amir Muhammad Buranduq
Barlas with a scouting force. And there was a hard fight between
Amir Muhammad Qasim, and the vanguard of the Astarabad Army
under Muhammad Kukaltash. Muhammad Qasim was wounded by
an arrow, and overthrown. And, when those who fled reached
Muzaffar Husayn Mirza, he also fled in the direction of Zawa.(^^)
Then Kupuk Mirza, hearing of these things, abandoned Mashhad and
fled. And Muhammad Husayn Mirza, seeing that Khurasan was
without a master, took it, from Astarabad to Nayshapur.

Miscellaneous events.

Sultsto Husayn Mirza gave Balkh and its dependencies to Badi-
'u’z-zaman, and added his name to his own in the Khutba.

Deaths.

Mawlana Hasan Shah in his youth served Mirza Sultan Muham-
mad.(^®) One day they chanced to speak of the faults of kings, and
Sultan Muhammad asked what his own fault was. The Mawltaa
answered that it was but sloth, in that he did not command ten
2

ahsanu’t-tawarIkh.

thousand dmte to be given to him, though he could do this. And
* Sultan Muhammad laughed, and bestowed upon him five million dinars.
But the Mawlana said that to leave the path of moderation after this
manner was also sloth. The Mawlana lived to be a hundred. For
years he taught in the Gohar Shad Begam(^^) Madrassa and the
Ikhlasiyya Madrassa. But, after Qazi Nizamu’d-din died, he left the
Gohar Shah Begam Madrassa, and taught in the 'Abbasiyya Madrassa.
The Mawlana’s works include ‘'Notes on Hikmatu'l-'ayn”.

A,H. 906, The war between Ismael and the King of Shlnvdn,

Now while Isma'il was at Arzinjto seven thousand followers and
Sufis of the tribes of Ustajlu,(^) Shamlu, Rumlu, Takalu, Zul-Qadar,
Afshar, Qajar, and Warsaq, and Sufis of Qaracha Dagh, with Muham-
mad Beg and two hundred of his family and retainers, and ‘Abdi Beg
Shamlu with three hundred men, arrived at Court. Then Isma'il,
having sent for certain of his nobles, commanded that they should
debate as to where they should go. And some said that that winter
they should fight with Qurqura (^) ; others that they should winter at
Ohukhhr Sa'd. But the Shah did not approve, but said they should
seek omens from the Holy Book, and should see what the Imams
commanded, and should so act. And next day he called his men
together, and said that in the night the Imams had bade him go to
Shirwan. So they set out. And from Pasin he sent Khulafa Beg
towards Georgia; and Khulafa Beg took his warriors and went to
Georgia, and returned with much booty. And the Shah sent Dias
Beg Ayqut Ughali against the fort of Mantash. And Mantash fled,
leaving the fort with his oficers. And the Royal army surrounded
the fort, and the men of Mantash came to the camp of Ilias with
swords in their hands, and bearing shrouds. So Ilias Beg sent the
chief men to Isma'il, who pardoned them, and restored the fort to
them. And Mantash gave himself up to Isma'il at Khatabad, and the
Shah, in his mercy and favour, gave him a dress of honour. Then
Bayram Khan Qaramani was sent ahead with Zu’l-Qadar men to the
river Ktir to cross it by the fort of Quyun UlumL(®) But he found
the ford unfit for an army to cross, and was dismayed. But Isma'il,
when he came, entered the water with his horse, and the army followed
him. Then the men of Shaki(^) opposed him. But the Ghazis slew
those n£en. A horseman came^ and from him Isma'il heard that

ahsanu’t-tawarikh.

Farrukh Yasar had said in his Court that Isma'il would get that which
his father had got. So, therefore, knowing that this matter must be
settled by the sword, he set out for Kilid-i-Gilan.(^) And the men
of that place reported that Farrukh Yasar was near the fort of
Qabalah.(®) After this the Shah turned towards Shamakhi. And he
heard that the King of Shirwan was camped in a forest near Biqrid,(^)
and had surrounded his camp with a stockade. Then Isma^il arrived
at Shamakhi, and set out for Jabani. And the King of Shirwan also
came with his army to Jabani. So, when Isma‘11 knew that he was
at hand, he made ready his army, numbering seven thousand men.
And Farrukh Yasar had twenty thousand horse, and six thousand
foot. In the battle victory was to the Shah, and he captured all the
Shirwan baggage and animals. •And Farrukh Yasar fled towards the
fort of Biqrid. And certain men pursued him, not knowing that he
was the king. And near the fort they unhorsed him, and cut off his
head, and took the gear of his horse. And Shirwanis who had been
taken knew his horse. So they joined his head again to his body, and
burnt him. Also minarets of the heads of the slain were set up. And
Isma‘Il stayed for three days, and then turned to Shamakhi, whereof
the Sayyids and Qazis and chiefs and nobles came out to meet him.
And he heard that Shekhshah, the son of Farrukh, had gathered to-
gether the remnants of his father’s army at Shahr-i-naw.(®) So His
Majesty sent Khulafa Beg against him, and himself also marched.
And Shekhshah fled in a boat to Gllto; and Ismail went to
Mahmudabad(®) for the winter. There he heard that the men of the
fort of Baku would pay no dues or taxes, for the fort was of exceed-
ing strength. So, by the Royal Command Muhammad Beg Ustajlu
and Ilias Beg Ayqut Ughall Khunuslu(^®) were sent to take the place.
And they wenti and surrounded it, and for some days they fought, and
the Shah joined his chiefs, and sent a man to the 'wife of QazI Beg,(^^)
the Governor of the fort, that she should turn him to the way of truth.
But they slew that man. After that Abu’l-Fattah Beg, the Darogha
of Baku, went to the woman and threatened her with the Shah’s
wrath. But him, too, she put to death. Then the Ghazis drove
mines, and they came to a great stone, and, when they blew it up,
they brought down a tower of the fort. And the men of the fort
filled the breach with tent numdahs, and held the fort for tjiree days.
Then the Ghazis made an assault, and took the fort, and slew^many.

AHS^NU’T-TAWSBiKH.

And about seventy of the nobles of Baku, taking the Holy Quran in
their hands, asked for quarter. So the Shah pardoned them, and they
paid a thousand tumans to the treasury as blood-money. And the
Ghazis brought out Mirza Khalllullah, and burnt his body, and they
found much gold in his dome.

And when the Shah had taken Baku, he turned to the fort of
Gulistan.(^®) For he had heard that the remnant of the Shirwan
army was there, and was minded to strive against him. And the men
of the fort, saying that the forts of Biqrid and Surkhab(^®) were in
the hands of the sons of Qazi Beg, offered to give up their fort, if
QazI Beg would give up his. But at that time the Shah saw in a dream
that the Holy Imams commanded that he should leave Gulistan, and
go to Adarbayjan. So in the morning he sent for his ministers —
Husayh Beg Lala, Abdal Beg Dada, Muhammad Beg Ustajlu, 'Abdi
Beg Shamlu, and Khadim Beg — ^and asked them if they wished for
Gulistan or Adarbayjan. And they said, Adarbayjan. And he told
them of the dream that he had dreamed. And they departed from
Gulistan, and went towards Adarbayjan.

Events in Transoxiana, and the capture of 8amarqand
by Shaybak Khan,(^^)

This year Shaybak Khan Shaybtoi attacked Samarqand. And
Sultan ‘All, being unable to meet him in the open, shut himself up
within the city, and was besieged. For two days the Uzbeks stayed
outside the city, and leaving men in ambush, came to the Shekhzada
gate. Then the men of Samarqand came out; and the Uzbeks
feigned flight, and drew them to the open plain. And Shaybak Khan
came out from the ambush with his warriors, and a great battle was
joined, and the men of Samarqand were overthrown. And Shaybak
Khan came to the gate of the Four Ways, and there, too, was a
mighty battle; and Shaybak Khan, having overcome the men of
Samarqand, went to his own camp. And at this time Muhammad(^®)
Baqir Tarkhto was advancing to help Sultan ‘Ali Mirza with ten
thousand men ; but he was met and overcome by Shaybak Khan near
the fort of Dabusi. So he withdrew to Dabusi, Then Shaybak
EIhan(^®) set out for Bukhara. And Mawlana Muhammad ‘Ali sent Qazi
Khwarazmi to the Khan with many gifts. Shaybak Khan gave the
Governorship of Bukhara to Amir Muhammad Salih, and turned again

AflCSANtr’T-TAWSBiKH.

"to Samarqand. But he received news from Muhammad Salih that
Amir Muhammad Baqir had left fort Dabnsi and gone to Qarshi. So
Shaybak Khan returned to Bukhara; and, when he came near,
Muhammad Baqir went back to Qarshi. And Shaybak commanded
his Uzbeks to plunder Bukhara. Then the Khan gave Bukhara to
his brother Ma^ud Sultan, and marched to Samarqand, and camped
hard by the city. And the city was at that time in the power of
Khwaja Yahya,(^’) son of Khwaja ‘Abdullah. Daily Sultan ‘All Mirza
bin Sultan Mahmud bin Sultan Abu Sa‘id attended him, and he thought
that to disobey his behests was a thing impossible. When Shaybak
Khan had been busy with the siege for some days, he came to know
that Sultan ‘All Mirza was in sore straits by reason of the Khwaja.
So he sent the Sultan a letter, *asking him to join him. Furthermore
he wrote to his mother, asking her to marry him. And the prince,
with his simple mother’s approval, met the Khan, and was killed.
The Khwaja also went to the Khan’s camp ; him, also, the Khan
killed, with most of his brethren. And Samarqand, together with
Turkistan and Bukhara, fell into the hands of Shaybak Khan, who
dwelt at Kan-i-gil,(^®) and stretched forth the hand of tyranny against
the people.

And Khwaja Abu’l-Makarim,(“) of the family of Abu’l-Jalil
MurghilanI, the Sahib-i-hidayat, sent a messenger to Babur Padshah,
who reigned at Andijan in the place of his father ‘Umar Shekh Mirza,
bidding him to come quickly, and he would let him into Samarqand.
So Babur(*°) set out with two hundred and forty followers, and,
travelMng with all speed by night and resting by day, he reached
Samarqand on the appointed day, and was let into the city. And at
the instigation of the citizens he killed about five hundred of Shaybak
Khan’s men. That night Jan Wafa Mirza, who dwelt in the house of
Khwaja Qutbu’d-din, and ‘Abdu’r-rahim Turkistani, were near the
fort of Didar(*^) with eight thousand men. And Hamza Sultan(®®) and
Baqi Sultan with a troop of warriors, were at the hunting groun'd(®^)
which is hard by the city. And when the Khan heard of these
things, he came with a large force outside the Iron Gate; but, when
he saw that he could do nothing, he departed for Turkistan. And
Babur hastened after him with a thousand horse, and he dug a ditch at
Jujiya Karawan. (“) And Shaybak Khan, attacked him by night, but
was overthrown. So Babur left his moat and hastened to Shaybak’s

ahsanh’t-tawarikh.

camp. And Shaybak with eight thousand horse drew up against
him. And the left army of Shaybak was overthrown. And the chiefs
of the Uzbeks said to Shaybak Khan. Lo, our armies are overthrown,
and we must flee.” But Shaybak Khto heartened his men, and
again attacked. And Babur, being unable to withstand them, set his
face towards Samarqand, and there he got ready for a siege. And
after some days there was famine. And Babur left Samarqand, and
fled to Andijan. And Shaybak Khto entered the city, and put to
death the chief men. And Khwaja Abu’l-Makarim shaved his beard,
and set out to go to Turkistan. But a party of Uzbeks knew him,
and carried him before the Khto, who asked him why he had shaved
his beard, and sent him to the other world. So Shaybak Khan made
the city his capital, and appointed to •the Governorship of Turkistan
his two uncles, Kuchii Yahya Khan and Sunjuk Sultan, whose
mother was the daughter of Mirza Ulugh Beg bin Mirza Shahrukh,
and to Bukhara his brother, Mahmud Suit to. After this he sent his
Uzbeks to harry Hisar Shadmto, Badakhshan, Khatlan, Qunduz, and
Baghlto.

Events in the land of Turkey,

Now in the beginning of this year Sultan Bayazid set out for the
cities of Korone and Methone, which are of the isles of Greece. In a
month’s time he reached Morea, and from thence he sent an army
and ships under Ya'qub Pasha and Iskandar Pasha. Then the Ruler
of Venice, and the other Kings of the Franks, sent three hundred ships
against the Turks. And the Turks met them with their ships, and
overcome them, and took four mawnas, and in each were a thousand
men. And the infidels fled, the wind being contrary. And the Turks
surrounded the fort of Methone by land and sea, and pierced the towers
of the fort by mortar fire. Then these men cried for help to the King
of the Franks and the Ruler of Venice. And the Venetian sent four
ships bearing soldiers, who passed by three hundred Turkish ships
and brought themselves under the fort walls. Then straightway they
set fire to their ships. And the Turks were confounded, and the
citizens ran towards them and set about moving guns and muskets
from the ships. And, trusting in the height of their walls, the men of
the fort left its towers without defenders. Then Sinan Pasha, Amiru’l-
Umara of ^J^atolia, sent men to the breach in the walls and attacked.
And th€ infidels, in the midst of their rejoicing, saw the Turkish

ahsanu’t-tawarikh .

army on the walls. And they ran towards them, and plied sword and
spear. But the Sultan sent company after company to strengthen his
men. And the battle lasted all day. Then the Christians took refuge
in caves and cellars and strong houses, and fought till the next morn-
ing, when the city was ablaze because of the naphtha and nitre which
the defenders had thrown. So many of those wicked men were burnt .
And much booty was taken ; money, and young women, and boys.
Then the Sultan returned to Adrianople.

Events in Khurasan,

Sultto Husayn Mirza set out for Astarabad ; for he had heard of
the many victories of Muhammad Husayn Mirza. And on the way
thither Muzaffar Husayn Mfrza and Amir Muhammad Buranduq[
Barlas came to him, and were received. But Muhammad Husayn
Mirza fled, when he heard of the Sultto’s coming. And when the
Sultan reached Astarabad Kupuk Mirza repaired to his father, and
Amir Muhammad Buranduq was sent to meet him. And they met,
and went together to the Sultan. At this time Muhammad Husayn
Mirza hastened against them, and reached the camp when most of
Kupuk Mirza’s men were dispersed, looking for fodder. And Kupuk
and Amir Muhammad fled, and Muhammad Husayn took all their
baggage and turned back towards the river Atrak. And Kupuk
Mirza met the Suhto at Sar-i-pul-i-sangm.(^®) Then Muhammad
Husayn sent envoys with tribute to the Sultan, who made him King
over Astarabad and returned to Herat.

Events in Yazd,

Now a certain person, whose name was Rais Muhammad Karra —
being of Karra, a village of Luristan — ^became a servant of Shekh
‘ Ali Beg,(^'^) Governor of Yazd. And one day when Shekh ‘Ali had
gone out ahunting from Abarqiih,(®®) Karra, forgetting his duty and
having attached to himself certain men, attacked his master’s retainers,
and drove them out, and seized the city. And, since Shekh ^Ali
could not withstand him, he sent a man to him, and set out himself
for Yazd. Then Karra sent for help from Luristan, and three thousand
men joined him at Abarquh. And, strengthened by t]jem, he also
took Bawwanat.(®®)

Al^S^NTj’T-TAWARiKH.

Miscellaneous events.

This year Amir Shams-u’d-din Zakariyya, who was for years
Wazir of the White Sheep Turkmtos, visited Isma'il, and was made
Wazir. And the Sadarat was bestowed on Mawlana Shamsu’d-din of
Gilan, and the Governorship of Abiward, Nisa, and Bazar, on
Kupuk Mirza. Abu’l-Muhsin Mirza, hearing that Sultan Husayn
Mirza had given Mashhad to Kupuk Mirza, hastened to the SultM’s
Court, and was received with favour.

Deaths.

Farrukh Yasar(^^) bin Amir Khalllullah bin Sultan Ibrahim bin
Sultan Muhammad bin Kayqubad bin Farrukhzad bin Minuchihr
(known as Khaqan, after whom the poet KhaqanI was named) was of
the lineage of Nawshirwto. In the time of Farrukh Yasar Sultto Abu
Sa'Id had his winter quarters at Qarabagh. And Hasan Padshah over-
came Abu Sa'id, because Farrukh Yasar went against him. This
year he was killed at Jabtol by the Ghazfs, as has been written. He
reigned for thirty-seven years, and his place was taken by his son
Bahram Beg, who died soon, and was followed by his brother Qazi Beg,
after whom the Qazi Begi(®^) money is named. By chance Shlrwan-
shah ” gives his accession and his title (873 a.h.).

'All Shir(®^) bin Amir Ghiyasu’d-dln Gajkina. He was descend-
ed from forefathers, who were nobles of 'Umar Shekh bin Amir Timur.
'All Shir spent his childhood in the service of Sultto Husayn Mirza,
and he and the Suit to were together servants of Mirza Abul Qasim
Baburl. After the Mirza’s death Husayn left Marv for Herat, but
'All Shir stayed at Marv, and read. And in the time of Abu Sa'id he
left for Herat. At Herat he served Sultto Husayn for a time. But,
being not favoured, he went to Transoxiana, and lived in the retreat
of Fazlullah Abu Laysl. And he passed his time mostly in reading ;
ofttimes meeting in converse Amir Darwish Muhammad Tarkhan(®^)
and Amir Ahmad Haji, the Rulers of Transoxiana. In these days
when Sultto Husayn Mirza prevailed, Sultan Ahmad Mirza left
Khurasan for Samarqand, and 'All Shir was with him. Then he
obtained leave from Amir Haji, and went to Herat, and, meeting
Sultto Husayn Mirza about the time of the ‘Id, recited the Qaslda-i-
hilaliya. And step by step he raised himself, till the Sultto used to
write to* him and gave him many titles. And it is related that

AH:SANXT’T-TAWARiK:H.

Khwaja Mujiddu’d-din(®®) made a feast for the Sultto, and received
the Chaharqut, which vestment was in those days given to no Persian :
but for his services it was given to him. And he bent the knee nine
times, as was the Chaghatay way. And at the same meeting ‘Ali Shir
sent the Khwaja his own ‘farji’, which was worth eleven tankas and
two miris. And the Khwaja put it on over the Suite’s Chaharqut,
though it reached not to his knees. And he bent the knee nine times
also for the Mir. This year, when the Sultan was returning from
Astarabad, ^Ali Shir went out to meet him. And when he came near
to the Royal litter, Khwaja Shihabu’d-din(®®) advanced towards
him. And Amir 'Ali Shir embraced him. And, before they had
ended speaking, 'Ali Shir’s state changed, and he said, ‘ Khwaja, be
not unmindful of my condition*.’ And the Sultan’s litter drew near.
Then ^Ali Shir dismounted to meet him. But his legs gave way, and,
with one hand on the shoulder of Khwaja 'Abdullah(®^) and the other
on that of Mawlana Jalalu’d-din Qasim Khwandamir, he approached
the litter, and kissed hands. Then he sat down from excess of weak-
ness, and he could not answer the Sultan’s greeting. So the Sultan
commanded that they should take him in the Royal litter to the city.
And the signs of apoplexy appeared. Then the surgeons bled him :
but he had no blood. And at midnight on Friday they took him
home. And in the morning all the physicians gathered, and again
they tried to bleed him. On the Saturday he passed to the life
eternal. And among his works are : — Turkish Diwan, Turkish Khamsa,
Majalisu’u-nafais, Turfatu’l-muluk, Persian Diwan, Mahbubu’l-qulub,
History of Muhammad Abu Sa‘id, Khayru’l-abrar, Farhad and Shirin,
Sadd-i-Sikandar, Layla and Majnun, Turkish compositions, Simples in
Riddles, Turkish poetry, History of Sayyid Hasan Ardashir, Kham-
satu’l-mutahayyirln. Breezes of Love. He built three hundred and
seventy charitable buildings, and among them were ninety inns. But
he was a man of sharp repartee.

A,H:907,

Now, when Ismail was near the fort of Gulistan, there came a
man from Shekh Muhammad Khalifa, who had been sent to enquire at
•Qarabagh as to the Amirzada Alwand. And he reported that Alwand
had left Tabriz, and had come to Nakhchiwto(^) with a Jarge army,
and had sent Muhammad Qarchaghay towards Ganja, to cross the river

AHSAlSrtr’T-TAWARiKH.

at Quyun Ulumi for Shirwan. So Isma‘il gave up the siege of Gulis-
tsn, and turned towards Adarbayjan, sending Joshan Mirza ahead to
repair the bridges. And His Majesty crossed by a bridge. Then,
having heard that Hasan Beg Shakar Ughali had reached Qaracha
Dagh and was oppressing the people, he sent Pirl Beg(^) in front.
And Shakar Ughali fled, and joined Alwand at Nakhchiwan. So Piri
Beg took much booty, and joined the Royal camp again at Arbab-i-
arghali, and it was found that Muhammad Qarchaghay was in those
regions. But he was driven back, and joined Alwand at Nakhchiwan.
Then Isma'il advanced upon that town by way of Sultanpur and Qara
Aghach. At that time there came Usman Mawsilu and an army of
White Sheep Turkmtos. But they were overcome after much fight-
ing by the Ghazis under Piri Qajar and Halwacha Ughali, head of the
huntsmen, and they fled. But Usman and his friends were brought
before Ismail, and were put to death.

Then Alwand, hearing of this defeat, advanced with a numberless
army towards Chukhur Sa'd, and drew up his army, being thirty
thousand horse, at the village of Shurur. Now Ismail had but seven
thousand horse, and the greater part were without armour. The
leaders of his army were Husayn Beg Lala, Abdal Beg Dada, Bayram
Beg Qaramanlu, Khulafa, Muhammad Beg Ustajlu, 'Abdi Beg Shamlu,
Qaracha Ilias of Bay hurt, Piri Beg Qajar, and Saru'Ali, Keeper of the
Seal. And Alwand placed his camels in the rear, chained together, so
that those who would flee should find no way. And they fought, and
Aiwand’s mighty host was overthrown. Latif Beg, Sayyid Qazi Beg,
and Muhammad Qarchaghay, were slain; but Alwand fled towards
Arzinjto. And many were killed, because, when they came to the
camels, they could not escape, and arrows were rained upon them and
upon the camels. And others reached a river and were drowned. A
vast booty was taken by Ismail. Then the Shah marched to Tabriz,
and was received by the Sayyids and the chief men. And His
Majesty(®) took his place in the Royal capital. Moreover, in the begin-
ning of his reign, he commanded that the names of the twelve Imams
should be read in the Khutba. And this had not been done in the
cities of Islam for five hundred and twenty-eight years, since the
coming of Suit to Tughrul(^) Beg bin Mikall bin Saljuq and the flight
of Basasirl.^ And it was commanded that Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and
‘XJsmto,* should be cursed in the bazars, on pain of death to him who

AHSANtr’T-TAWARiKH.

refused. In those days men knew not of the Ja‘fari faith and of the
rules of the twelve Imams, For of books on this matter there were
none. Yet Qazi Nasrullah Zaytuni had the first volume of the
Qawa^id-i-Islam of Shekh Jamalu’d-din Mutahhar(®) of Hilla, and
therefrom he gave religious teaching, till, day by day, the sun of the
Shia‘ faith rose higher and lightened the dark places of the earth.

Miscellaneous events.

And this year Sultan Murad advanced on Shiraz, and Qasim Beg
Purnak came out to meet him. On the seventeenth of Safar Qasim
was captured, and his camp was plundered. And Amir Muhammad*
Sabiqi was sent to Shiraz to attach the possessions of Qasim Beg. And
Sultan Murad wintered at Kazarun. In the month of Ramazan he
turned towards ‘Iraq, leaving the Governorship of F^rs to Ya‘qut Jan
Beg Bayandur, brother of Ayba Sultan. And they took Qasim Beg
to Istakhr, and from thence to Isfahan, where Yar ‘Ali Beg, son of
Nur ‘Ali Beg Purnak, put him to death.

In this year the Kings who claimed to be independent were:
Isma‘il, in Adarbayjan ; Sultan MurM, in the greater part of ‘Iraq ;
Murad Beg Bi»yandur, in Yazd ; Rais Muhammad Karra, in Abarquh ;
Husayn Kiya-i-Chulawi, in Samnan, Khwar and Firuzkuh ; Barik Beg
Purnak bin ‘All Beg, in Arabian ‘Iraq; Qasim Beg bin Jahtogir Beg
bin ‘Ali Beg, in Diyarbakr; Qazi Muhammad, along with Mawlana
Mas‘ud Bidgali, in Kashan; Sultan Husayn Mirza, in Khurasan;
Amir Zu’n-nun, in Qandahar ; Badi‘u’z-zaman, in Balkh ; and Abu’l-
Fath Beg Bayandur, in Kirmto.

Deaths.

Mirza Ulugh Beg(®) bin Suit to Abu Sa‘id died, and his son, Mirza
‘Abdu’r-razzaq, sat in his place.

Mawltoa Sharafu’d-din ‘Ali Shiftagi also died. He had learned
with Mawlana Muhiyyu’d-din and Mawlana Qiwamu’d-din Gulbtoi.
Among his writings are : — Tafsir-i-ayto-i-ahkam, Sbarh-i-muharrir,
Sharh-i-irshad.

Muhammad Ma‘sum Mirza, son of Sultto Husayn Marza, died at
Qain of diarrhoea.

ai^santj’t-tawabIkh.

A,H. 908.

This year Alwand gathered a fresh army. So, on the twenty-fourth
of Shawwal, Isma'i'l set forth against him, and, having passed through
Alad^h, hunting on the way, he reached, on the twenty-first of Zi’l-
Hijja, Chaman-i-lakzi near Tarjan. And the enemy was filled with
fear, and fled. And Isma'il advanced from Chaman-i-lakzi to Quch-
i-ahmar, near Mount Daruna. And certain of the enemy were taken
and killed. And the plain was filled with tents, as with flowers in
spring. And in the evening they heard that Alwand and a remnant
of his army were making ready for siege near Saru Qubba of Arzinjan.
So His Majesty, taking most of the Zu’l Qadar Chiefs and Ghazis,
and marching with all speed, so that they travelled twenty leagues in a
day, reached the enemy. And in fear they fled, and he plundered their
camp. Then he heard that Alwand was at Tabriz, having gone to-
wards Adarbayjan. So he marched from Baku to Tabriz. And
Alwand fled to Baghdad, like an arrow shot from a bow. And his
Majesty came to Awjan.(^) The Ghazis took the baggage of the
enemy, which they had abandoned in their haste. And they wintered
at Tabriz.

The war between Ismael and Sultan Murad,

Now Sultan Murad bin Ya'qub PMshah was sore afraid. For
he heard that Adarbayjan was in Isma'Il’s hands. And he sent men
round about to gather an army, and the remnants of the White Sheep
Turkmans ; and he called five thousand foot from Traq. In the begin-
ning of the winter he set out with Wall Khan for Hamadaii with
seventy thousand horse, and sent Gohar Sultan, his mother, to
Islamsh Beg at Qum, to call him with an army. And Islamsh, hear-
ing the words of Gohar Sultan, set out for Sultan Murad’s camp. And
since many reports of Sultan Murad’s power reached Adarbayjan.
Isma'il sent an envoy, by name Qambar, who had been a slave of
Sultan Haydar and was fluent of speech, to Murad, to call on him to
yield. But Qambar heard from the Governor of Traq but vague
replies, and saw the signs of rebellion. So he returned, and told of
what he had seen and heard. Therefore His Majesty set forth for
Traq, and passed the Qizil Uzun, and came to Alma Qulaql near
Hamadan. ^And Sultan Murad heard of the coming of Ismail, and
got ready for battle, having an innumerable host. In the morning

AHSANU’T-TAWAKiKH.

Ismail drew up his army, being twelve thousand horsemen. And he
made Khulafa Beg and Mansur Beg of Qipchaq the advance guard,
and kept Pir! Beg Qajar with fifteen hundred horse in reserve ; and
the rest of his chiefs, being Abdal Beg Dada, Husayn Beg Lala,
Muhammad Beg Ustajlu, Bayram Beg Qaramanlu, ‘Abdi Beg Shamlu,
Yakan Beg Takalu, and Saru 'Ali, the Keeper of the Seal , were on the
right and left wings ; and he took the centre himself. And Sultan
Murad also was in the centre. And, fearing the might of Ismail, he
placed his guns in front, and strengthened them with bpards and
chains. And he put "All Beg Turkman on the right, and Murad Beg
on the left. And Islamsh Beg was the advance guard.

So the battle was fought on Sunday the twenty-fourth of Zii-
Hijja. Then Islamsh Beg, hy many attacks, broke the advance
guard of Ismail’s army, and reached the centre. But he was thrust
back by Piri Beg, and was unhorsed. And Ismail attacked. And in
the end the Turkman warriors were overcome, and Murad came to
know that victory lies in the hands of God. And he fled, and the
Shah’s army pursued after him, and slew ten thousand men. And
Islamsh Beg and ‘All Beg were killed; but Murad fled, with a few
whose time had not yet come, towards Shiraz. So Ismail returned
thanks to God for this great victory, and rewarded those who had borne
the palm of bravery. And he commanded his writers that they
should send throughout the land the news of his victory. Then he
camped in the meadows of Hamadan.

Events in Ears.

On Sunday the third of Safar Abu’l-Fath Beg, the brother of
Haji Beg Bayandur, came to Shiraz with many men from Kirman,
and Amir Yaqub J^n fled to Bayza. And Abul-Fath, coming to the
city, took his possessions, and passed on to Kazarun and then to
Piruzabad, reaching that place on the eighth of Sha‘ban. And Man-
sur Beg Afshar in fear went with his family to Abui-Fath’s Court.
Abui-Fath was minded to seize him, but a certain man told Mansur
Beg of this. Nevertheless Mansur Beg recited the words of the Faith,
and went to the Court. At that time a deer was seen on a hill, and
Abu’l-Fath, from the excess of his boldness, went after it. And he
fell, and died ; and his son Shekh Hasan Beg sat in his place. Then
‘Ali Beg, brother of Ashraf Beg Bayandur, marched on Shiraz, and, on

AHSANTj’T-TAWSBiKH.

the eleventh of Sha'ban reached the Sa'adat plain. And his tax
gatherers tortured the people, and took much from them. Against
him Ughuz Muhammad marched to ShirSz. And Shebh ‘All, fearing
greatly, fled to Abarquh, where Rais Muhammad Karra put him to
death.

Events in Khurasan.

T his year, by the command of Sultan Husayn Mirza, and at the
call of Amir Khusraw, King of Badakhsban, Badi‘u’z-zaman marched
from Balkh against Tirmid(®) with twelve thousand horse. And he
sent Amir Beg Wafadar to Herat to ask help from his father. So
Amir Baql,(®) the Governor of Tirmid, hastened to the Court, and
was received. Then Badi‘u’z-zaman sept messengers to Amir Khus-
raw Shah, and called him. But he hearkened not, and Badl'u’z-
zaman returned to Balkh with Amir Zu’n-nun.

Ayqut DghaWs war with Nasir and Mansur Turkmans.

Now Ilias Beg Ayqut Ughall was in Adarhayjan by Isma'Il’s
command. And Nasir and Mansur Turkmans, chiefs of the place,
came against him with four thousand horse. And they fought ; but
the Qizilbashes overcame the Turkmans, and slew about a thousand.
But Nasir and Mansur escaped. And the Ghazis took much booty.
Ami Bias Beg dwelt there, and sent the heads of those slain to the
Shah.

Miscellaneous events.

Muhammad Muqlm, son of Amir Zu’n-non, marched against
Kabul. And Mirza ‘Abdu’r-razzaq fled, and Muqlm took Kabul, and
married the daughter of Mirza Ulugh Beg bin Sultan Abu Sa'Id.
‘AbduT-baqI Mirza, and Murad Beg Bayandur, the Governor of Yazd,
fled before the army of Isma'il to Herat. And Sultan Husayn Mirza
received them, and honoured ‘AbduT-baqI Mirza.

Sayyid Ja‘far Khwaja — a Sayyid of the Plain of Qipchaq — ^was a
favourite of the Uzbek Khans. And he left Transoxiana, and met
Badi'u’z-zaman at Balkh. But he tried to attach the prince’s courtiers
to hinoself, and he thought of treachery. So Badi'u’z-zaman put him
to death, together with those that joined him.

AgSANU’T-TAWSEiKH.

Deaths.

Haydar Muhammad Mirza bin Sultan Husayn Mirza.

Mawlana Jalalu’d-din Muhammad Dawwanl,(®) son of Sa‘du’d-din
As'ad, a man well-known for his high birth and his learning. He
worked as the Qazi of the village of Dawwan under Kazarun. He
studied with his father, and at the Madrassa of Mawlana Muhyf d-din
Gusha Kinarl at Shiraz, and Mawlana Hasan Shah, the greengrocer ;
and he read with Mawlina Himamu’d-din Gulbari certain of the com-
mon sciences, and, when learning the traditions, he was a pupil of Shekh
Safiyyu’d-din Alchi. In the days of his youth he was the Minister of
Amirzada YQsuf bin Jahanshah Padshah ; and, after that, he taught in
the Begam Madrassa, which they call the Daru’l-itam. And in the time
of the White Sheep Kings, he was QazI of Pars . Ahmad Padshah in
his time honoured JaM, and Sultan Muhammad of Turkey sent him
gifts. But Qasim Beg Purnak, being an enemy of Ataad, took away
much of his possessions. But he himself escaped to Lar and Jirun.
When AbuT-Fath Bayandur seized Shiraz, he went to Kazarun, and
joined Abu’l-Path’s camp at Qawl-i-abgina. But in a few days time
he died of diarrhoea, and was buried at Dawwan, near Shekh ‘All
Dawwanl. He was seventy-eight years of age. Among his works
are — Old Notes on the Tajrld (which Mawlana ‘All Qushjl saw and
praised), New Notes, Newer Notes, Sharh-i-hayakil on Wkmat-i-
ishrSq, Notes on the MatSli' on Logic, Isbat-i-wajib-i-qadlm wa jadid,
Akhlaq-i-Jalali (written to compete with the Akhl5q-i-Na,siri), Notes
on the Shamsiyya, Notes on the Anwar-i-Shaf‘iyya, Risala-i-Zawra
(written in one day, standing in the Rawza of ‘All bin Abl Talib);
also Notes on the ZawrS,, Notes on Isharat, Notes on the Tahzlb on
Logic, Sawadu’l-‘ayn bar hikmatuT-‘ayn.

A.H. 909.

Ya'qub Jan Beg Turkman left Isfahan with a large army for
Shiraz, and he was met by Shekh Hasan Beg Bayandur, who had
conquered Shiraz after Ughuz Muhammad land AbuT-Fath Beg.
And a great battle was fought near Juyum.(^) The victory was
to Ya'qub, and Shekh Hasan was kiUed. Then Ya'qQb, having
recovered Fars, went to the Plain of Arzan,(®) and was Joined by
Sultan Murad fleeing from Isma'il. And hearing of Isma'Il’s com-
ing, they fled. And at the city their chiefs quarrelled, and Ya'qOb

AHSANXj’T-TAWARiKH.

and Sultan Murad went to Sayyid Muhammad Fattah. Then Ya-
'qub went to Dizful and Shahriyan, hoping to meet the Purnak chiefs
and go by Mawsil to Diyarbakr. But he was killed by Bisharat Beg,
brother of Qasim Beg Purnak, in revenge for Qasim’s death. And
Sultan Murad went to Baghdad, and was set on the throne by Barik
Beg Purnak, the Governor of that place.

Isma%l advances on Shiraz.

Now, while Isma'il was resting at Hamadan, he heard that Sultan
Murad was in Shiraz, and was gathering together the Turkmans. So
he moved upon Pars, and sent Ilias Beg to put down the rebellion of
Husayn Kiya-i-Chulawi. And when Sultan Murad heard of his com-
ing, he fled to Baghdad, as has been written. So Isma‘il took Shiraz,
and none withstood him. And, when he had finished disposing of(®)
its affairs, he turned to Traq, and stayed at Qum.

Ismd%l marches against Flruzkuh.

Now Ilias Beg(^) marched to Rustamdar, and Amir Husayn
Kiya-i-Chulawi met him, and forced him into the fort of Waramin.(®)
And the men of Rustamdar surrounded the fort ; but, being unable to
take it by war, they essayed deceit, and sent messengers to Ilias, offer-
ing peace. So, when a pact was made, Ilias came out of the fort
with many men, and joined the enemy. But Husayn Kiya broke his
promise, and killed him and all his followers. When Isma'il heard of
this in the early spring he sent an army for Gul-i-khandm and
Piruzktih by way of Waramln and Ray. And on Sunday the ninth day
of Ramazan he left Qum, and spent the New Year’s day near Ray, say-
ing that the fort of Khandan would be taken on the Ramazan Td.
At this time Muhammad Husayn Mirza,(®) son of Sultan Husayn
Mirza, came from Astarabad to meet Isma'il. And when he reached
Samnan he took the fort of that city with a single assault. And Amir
Afrasiyab Chulawl, the Commandant on behalf of Husayn Kiya, took
refuge in the citadel, and sent for help. So Husayn Kiya, with
Murad Beg Jahanshahlu,(’) hastened to Samnan. And of a sudden
he attacked the Chaghatay army, and scattered it, and returned with
booty to his own country. On Saturday the twenty-ninth Isma^il
pitched his camp near the fort of Gul-i-khandan. And there was a
battle for two days between him and the men of the fort. By the

a^sanxj’t-tawaeikf.

Shah’s command mines were laid on four sides, and the battlements of
the fort were broken down. So the men of the fort cried for quarter.
And the Ghazis took them and brought them to Ismail, and they were
put to death. And on the ‘Id, the fort was taken, even as His Majesty
had said. Then the army marched against Firuzkuh, and reached it on
Thursday the eleventh day of Shawwal. And the commandant was
‘All Kiya Zamandar. And his heart was hardened, and he trusted in
the strength of the fort. Then Ismail surrounded the fort, even as a
halo surrounds the moon, and attacked it. And on most days the fight
was from morn till eve, and the Shah himself made mighty efforts,
shooting a thousand arrows at the foe. Next day some of the battle-
ments were made level with the ground, and Mahmud Beg Qajar
mounted the ramparts alone, and scattered the men of Rustamdar.
And ‘Ali Kiya Zamtodar yielded to Najm Beg, and was taken to
Ismail, and forgiven.

Capture of the fort of Usta, and death of Husayn Klyd.

On the twenty-fourth of the month of Shawwal the Royal army
under the Shah marched for Usta. And a camp was pitched near the
fort. And it was commanded that the men should come by a narrow
pass, which was hard by the fort, and conquer it. So they crossed one
by one. And the men of Rustamdar joined battle. And ‘ Abdi B eg,
the 5j?tfl.ndar d bearer, a nd the Shamlu men that he had, and Bayra m
Beg, the Amir-i-diwan, and other warriors, fought as brave men fight ;
but ‘Abdi Beg was hit by an arrow, and in the narrow place men
could not use their swords. So they came by another way that the
men of the fort knew not. And there were but two hundred men,
while the men of the fort were more than three thousand. And
when they saw the fewness of the army, they thought to come forth
and fight. But His Majesty attacked. So when they saw the
prowess of these few men, they fied to the fort. And those who were
striving against the chiefs in the defile saw it, and they scattered as
the stars of the Plough. And the chiefs joined the camp on the banks
of the Habla river. And every day they fought from morn till eve.
Then Ismail commanded that the waters of the river Habla, from which
the besieged drank, should be turned aside. And Husayn Beg Lala
did this. And on the twenty-seventh of the month Zi’l-Qa‘da the
fort was taken. And all the men of Usta and the citadel, being about
3

AirSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

ten thousand souls, and among them Murad Beg Jahanshahlu and
Satalmish and the kinsmen and retainers of Husayn Klya, were slain.
But Husayn was put in an iron cage. And, when his guards were
unheeding, he wounded himself, but did not die. On the third of Zi’l-
Hijja the army marched for Ray and Sawukh Bulagh.(®) At Aywan-i-
rasu’l-wadi, which is known as Kabud Gumbad,(^) Husayn died of
his wound, at the place where he had put Bias to death. At Sawukh
Bulagh Amir Suhrab Chulawi, Governor of the fort of Ardasand,(^°)
was received by Isma'il: Then the Shah went to his summer quarters
at Kharqan.(^’^) And there the men and the commandant of the
fort of Ustanadiq came to Court. Then Isma'il made for the summer
quarters of Sr3rluq.(^^) And on the way he heard of the rebellion of
Muhammad Karra,

The siege of Balkh{^^) and its neighbourhood by Shaybah Khan,

Now, at the call of Amir Muhammad Baqir Tarkhan, Shaybak
Khan crossed by the ford of Kukl(’^^) for Balkh. And when Badi'u’z-
zaman heard of his coming, he left his son Muhammad Zaman MJrz^
in the city with men, and set out for San and Oharyak.(^^) And
Shaybak Khan sent men to attack Shiburghan. Then Amir ‘Ali Tar-
khan and Amir ‘Umar Beg marched out of the fort to meet them ;
but they were taken. And Shaybak Khan and ten thousand men
placed themselves outside the Shuturkhwar gate, and Mahmud,
the Khto’s brother, was at the Traq gate. Then the Uzbeks
surrounded the fort, and turned aside the waters of its moat. And,
da}’' by day, they came to the gate and attacked, but they were
driven back with wounds. One day, when Shaybak 'Khan and his
warriors attacked, about five hundred were killed. And yet again he
attacked twice. So for three months were they outside the city ; but,
finding that the taking of the fort was a thing hard to do, early in the
winter they- returned to Samarqand.

Miscellaneous events,

Kar Kiya Sultan Hasan, brother of Kar Klya Mirza ‘Ali, Ruler of
Gilan, came to Court with much tribute, and was received honour-
ably. And this year Isma‘il appointed Mahmud Khan Daylami of
Qazwin joint Wazir with Amir Zakariyya Kujchi. And also he
[appointed Qazi Muhammad Kashi Wazir.

AHSANXj’T-TAWARiKH.

Deaths.

Qaz! Mir Husayn of Yazd was put to death by Isma'il. Among
^his works are: — Notes on the Shamsiyya on Logic, Commentary on
the hikmat-nl-‘ayn, Commentary on the Hidayat on Philosophy,
Notes on the Tawali on Scholastic Philosophy, Commentary on the
Kafiyya, A tract on the strange art of Riddle making.

A.H. 910. Isma%l marches on Yazd ; the hilling of Kari'a.

At this time Murad Beg Bayandur left Yazd through fear
of Isma'il, and went to Herat. And in his absence Khwaja Sultan
Ahmad Saruyi, Wazir of Yazd^ held the city. Since Isma'il, after he
overthrew Murad, had entrusted Yazd to Husayn Beg Lala, and the
Lala had appointed Shu'ayb Agha(^) Darogha on his behalf, it was
ordered that Shah Taqi’ud-din should go to Yazd, and should turn
out the rebel Saruyi. And by his efforts peace was made ; and Sultan
Ahmad promised to serve the Shah, as long as he lived, and to obey
Shu‘ayb Agha. So Shu^ayb cime to Yazd, and ruled for a time.
But Sultan Ahmad broke his promise, and slew Shu‘ayb in the baths,
and his comrades ; and he became independent. Then Muhammad
Karra hastened from Abarquh, and entered the city at night, and
killed Sultan Ahmad. And he strengthened the city, and raised the
flag of independence; till at last, by the temptation of Satan, he
forgot his duty and dared to rebel. And when Isma'il heard of this,
he left Surluq in the month of Rajab for Yazd, when the heat was
very great. And he surrounded the city. Then for two months
they fought from dawn till nightfall. Many of Karra’s men were
killed, and Karra fled within the fort. But after a month they took
the fort. Karra had taken refuge in the Naqqara Khana. But they
piled firewood against it, and set it on fire. xAnd Karra went to the
window, because of the excess of the heat, and the Ghazis set up a
ladder, and brought him down with two others. And the Shah com-
manded that he should be put in an iron cage like Husayn Klya,
And they rubbed his body with honey. Thus he was kept for some
days, till Isma'il returned from attacking Tabas. Then he was put
to death in the square at Isfahan, (^) together with certain of his
retainers, whom ^Abdi Beg brought from Abarquh*

a^sanu’t-tawarikh.

Isma%Vs attack on Tahas,

Now, while Isma^il was besieging Yazd Amir Kamalu’d-din
Husayn(®) Sadr came from Sultto Husayn Mirza, and was received.
But the letter that he brought was not submissive, as it should be,
and Kamalu’d-din was not approved. And His Majesty was minded
to attack Khurasan ; and in the beginning of Sha'ban he marched by
the desert on Tabas with all speed. Then Taraddudi Baba, who was
at Tabas on behalf of Mir Muhammad Wall Beg, hastened to the
fort. And the Ghazis, coming by a devious way, assaulted Tabas,
and slew all they met, to the number of seven thousand souls. Then
the fire of Isma^il’s wrath was quenched, and he returned to Isfahan.
And, by reason of the passage of the army, there was famine in the
land. So Isma'il sent for Amir Ghiyasu’d-din Muhammad, and com-
manded him to sell stores of corn in the winter. But the Amir swore
that he had no more corn in his granaries than sufficed for his own
men. So Ismail commanded that he should be put to death. At
this time Shah Taqiu’d-din, who was charged by certain bad men
with writing treasonable letters, was also put to death.

Events in Transoxiana,

This year Mahmud Sultan, (^) by order of his brother Shaybak
Khan, marched on Qunduz. And Amir Khusraw Shah sent 'Abdu’r-
rahman Beg to meet him. He crossed the river at Sali Sarai, and
met Mahmud. But in the battle ‘Abdu’l-rahman was hit in the
shoulder by an arrow, and was defeated. And, when they filed to the
city, fear seized Amir Khusraw Shah, and he left Qunduz, and fled to
the hills. And Mawlana Muhammad Turkistani inclined the people
towards Shaybak Khan, and hearkened not to the messages of Amir
Zu’n-nun, who was nigh at hand. So Amir Zu’n-nun came to the
camp of Badi'u’z-zam^n, and told him of the rebellion of the men of
Qunduz. And Mahmud Sultan entered Qunduz with his warriors.

The capture of Kabul{^) by Babur,

Now, when Shaybak Khan conquered Samarqand, Babur hastened
to Andijto. But Shaybak Khan by degrees gained possession of
all Turkis1;an and of Andijan ; and Babur set out for Kabul, and
besieged Muhammad Muqim, the son of Amir Zu’n-nun Arghun. And

AHSANTj’T-TAWABiKH.

the men of Kabul were inclined towards Babur. So Muhammad
Muqim left Kabul for Qandahar, having made a covenant, and
Babur took Kabul.

This year, too, Badru’z-zaman, Amir Khusraw Shah, and Amir
Zu’n-nun visited Herat, and met the Sultan in the Jahanaray(®)
Garden. And Sultan Husayn let them go, and went towards the
river Murghab.

Miscellaneous events.

This year Kar Kiya Sultan Hasan (^) rebelled against his brother
Kar Kiya Mirza'Ali, King of Gilan, and put to death Kar Kiya
Faridnn, Minister of Mirza'Ali, at the village of Shalandarud near
Daylaman. Then Mirza‘Ali gave up the government to Hasan, and
busied himself in religious works.

This year, too, an envoy came from Sultan Bayazid of Turkey
bearing congratulations to Isma^il for his conquest of Traq and Fars,
and presents. And His Majesty declared his love for Sultan Bayazid,
and sent back his envoy with presents and honours.

Deaths.

Muhammad Karra was, in the time of the White Sheep Sultans,
Darogha of Abarquh, and he was confirmed in this place by Isma‘iL
But at last he went against Isma‘il, He was burnt at Isfahan, as
has been written.

Mawltoa Husayn Wa'iz died this year — the greatest authority
of the age on astronomy and composition. Among his works are : —
Jawahiru’t-tafsir ; Rauzatu’s-shuhada ; Anwar-*i-Suhayli ; Akhlaq-i-
Muhsini ; Masabihu’l-qulub ; Ikhtiyarat ; Makhzanul-insha.

Alwand Beg,(®) bin Yusuf Beg bin Hasan PMshah, wandered
about for a time after he was beaten, and went to Baghd§/d, and from
thence to Diyarbakr. There he overcame Qasim Beg, son of Jahangir
Beg the brother of Hasan Padshah, at Mardin. And soon after this
he died.

A.H. 911,

Isma'il passed the winter at Tarum, and sent certain of his nobles
against Amir Husamu’d“din,(^) King of Resht. And he himself
went to Resht from Tarum with a large army. But Husamu’d-din
sent presents, and Shekh Najmu’d-din of Resht interceded for him.
So Isma‘il forgave him, and returned.

AHSAlSru’T-TAWARiKH.

Events in Khurasan,

Shaybak Khto sent an army to attack Maymana and Faryab.(^)
And they plundered these countries. Then Muhammad Qasim
Mirza,(^) who was related through his mother to Mirza Baysunqur, was
received by Sultan Husayn Mirza, and set out with Amir Shiram
Jalair(^) and Amir Baba Jan,(^) son of Khw^aja Jalalu’d-din Miraki, to
withstand the Uzbeks. But he was overcome by them and slain, with
the two other Amirs. And Sultan Husayn Mirza, when he heard of
this, feared to winter in the Jahanaray Garden, and came into the City
Garden, and sent Khwaja Shamsu’d-din Muhammad Munshi to call
Badi‘u’z-zaman to Herat. And Badi‘u’z~zaman came, and stayed in the
house of Amir^Ali Shir. In the spring the Sultan set out with twelve
thousand men to attack Transoxiana, sending forward Badi'u’z-
zaman as advance guard. After he reached' Baba Ilahi(®) the Sultan
grew weak, so that he could not march in the evening or at night.
And he sent to call Badi'u’z-zaman, who set out with three hundred
men. And he found his father exceeding weak.

Miscellaneous events.

This year Ismaul appointed Abdal Beg Dada, the Qurchi
Bashi,('^) to inquire who had joined the enemy in the war with Sultan
Haydar. And many were put to death on this account.

Deaths.

Suhan Husayn Mirza(®) bin Mirza Mansur bin Mirza Bayqara
bin Mirza 'Umar Shekh bin Timur Gurgan died on the eleventh of
the month ZiT-Hijja at the village of Baba Ilahi. He was a learned^
just, wise, and kindly king ; who cherished his subjects, and
honoured the learned, and built for them in Herat a Madrassa, the
like of which the world has not, with stipends for ten thousand
students. And in his assemblies men spoke of learned matters, and
of poetry. And he founded and completed fine buildings, and the
Garden of Desire. For twenty years of his reign he was paralysed,
and could not walk nor ride, but was carried in a litter by four men.
His kingdom stretched from the Oxus to Damaghan. He lived to be
seventy-one,^ and he reigned for thirty-nine years. He had fourteen
sons : — Farrukh Husayn Mirza, Shah Gharib Mirza, Haydar Muham-

ahsanu’t-tawarikh.

mad Mirza, Muhammad Ma'sum Mirza, Ibrahim Husayn Mirza,
Muhammad Husayn Mirza, Abu Turab Mirza — and these died before
him ; Badi'u’z-zamto Mirza, Muzaffar Husayn Mirza, Kupuk Mirza,
Ibn Husayn Mirza, Abu’l-Muhsin Mirza, Muhammad Qasim Mirza,
Farldun Husayn Mirza — and these outlived him. He had also eleven
daughters. After his death the chiefs consulted together, and would
have made Badi'u’z-zamto king. But some said that the name of
Muzaffar Husayn Mirza should be joined with his in the Khutba and on
the coins. And they were at strife, and the argument was long. For
Khadija Begi Agha,(^) the mother of Muzafiar Husayn, was a woman
of influence. So they made Badi'u’z-zaman and Muzaffar Husayn
joint rulers. Coins were struck, and the Khutba was said in the
Mosque at Herat, in their joint names ; and the districts and the
artizan tax of the city were divided equally, and all the kingdom.
Then the other brothers said that they would all have obeyed Badi'uz-
zaman, had he been sole ruler, but not when Muzaffar Husayn was
made joint with him. And they had the Khutba read, each in his
own name in his own place.

Kar Kiya Mirza 'Ali, Lord of Gilan, was a pious man, who passed
his time in worship and reading the Quran. This year he was killed
by the men of Lahijan at Raniku. His age was sixty-four years, and
he had reigned for twenty-eight years. His kingdom was Biya Pas
of Gilto. This same year Sultan Hasan, his brother, was also kiUed
at Raniku. And when news of this reached his son Kar Kiya Sultan
Ahmad, who was then at Isma'il’s camp, Isma'il sent him to Gilan
with a body of Ghazis. And at Raniku the chiefs, who had killed his
father and uncle, met him. Then he put them to death, when they
w^ere about to kiss his feet. And he became the ruler.

A.H. 912.

Now Isma^il wintered at Khuy. And he sent his Chiefs against
Sarim(^) Kurd. So the Kurds fled to their high hills. And their
country was plundered by the Ghazis, and many of those faithless men
were slain. Hearing that Sarim had came down to the foot of the
hills to fight, the Royal army set themselves ready to meet him. And
thei'e was a great battle. And ‘Abdi Beg Shamlu and Saru ‘Ali
Takalu, the Keeper of the Seal, were among the number of the slain.

AHSANU'T-TAWARlKH.

Then Bayram Beg Qaramanlu and Khnlafa Beg returned to the
Royal camp.

BadVu'z-zaman and Babur attach Shaybak Khan.

This year Shaybak Khan sent II Aman(^) against Khurasan.
And he crossed the Oxus and ravaged as far as Murghab. And some
crossed the river Marv, and sacked Badghls. Then Amir Zu’n-ntin,
taking Amir Sultan Bayazid Barlas(®) with him, hastened to meet
them. And the Uzbeks fled to Dasht-i-zardak, and Amir Zu’n-nun
came up with them, and killed about a hundred, and captured seventy,
and returned. At this time Mawlana KhatM came to Herat as envoy
from Shaybak Khan, saying that the forefathers of the princes were
ever wont to come to his forefathers, ^and they should do the same.
But Badi'u'z-zamto, knowing that Shaybak Khan would fain get
knowledge of the affairs of Khurasan, put the Mawlana in prison, and
sent messengers to all parts of Khurasan to summon the princes. And
at this time Babur came(^) to Herat, to fight with the princes against
Shaybak Khan. And Badi'u’z-zaman and Muzaffar Husayn Khan
hastened to meet him, and sent him all manner of presents and three
hundred Kupuki(”’) tumans. And envoys came from Amir Sultan
Qipchaq, Governor of Balkh, saying that Shaybak Khan had laid
siege to Balkh, and that the stores laid by were all used up. So they,
and Babur, and his brother Jahangir Mirza, and Muhammad Qasim
Mirza, left Herat in the early autumn for Balkh, and Abufl-Muhsin
Mirza, Ibn Husayn Mirza, and Mir Sultan ‘Ali Arghun, joined the
camp. But Kupuk Mirza did not join his brothers ; for, in his folly,
he hoped to become independent in his rule at Mashhad. And there-
by ruin came on the plans of Badi‘u’z-zaman.

Now(®) Amir Zu’n-nun pleaded that it would be hard for the
Chaghatays to gather together again as they had done, and they should
hasten to attack the Uzbeks. But Amir Muhammad Buranduq thought
that Kupuk Mirza would march on Herat, while they were away, and
would draw away the greater part of the chiefs in the camp, who would
desert to him. They should return to Herat, and deal with the
enemies at home ; and in the spring they should hasten against the
Uzbeks. And at this time news came that Shaybak Khan(^) had
taken Balkh^ and returned to Samarqand. So Babur left for Kabul,
and Badi‘u’z-zaman for Herat.

AEtSANU’T-TAWARiKB .

A.H. 913, The attack of Ismd‘U on ^Ald‘u^d-daivla{^) Zu^l-Qadar,
and the flight of that chief.

Now this year news came that ‘Ala‘u’d-dawla had left the straight
path of obedience, and had joined Sultjan Murad, and fain would
meddle with the Persian realm. So Shah Isma'il gathered together
his army, and set out in the early summer for Albistan ; and he
reached Qaysariyya, a province of Sultan Bayazid of Turkey. But to
the people of that country he did no harm. Then ‘Ala^u’d-dawla fled
to the Duma mountains. And Isma'il sent Lala Beg with his Ghazis
to the Jahan river to find a ford. And Lala Beg crossed. But his
men were scattered, looking for grass and fodder. And Saru Qapalto.
the son of ‘Ala^u’d-dawla, came with his braves, and, because his men
were many, he overcame Lala Beg, and threw him from his horse.
Then Khalil Agha, daring death, got to Lala Beg, and mounted him
•on his own horse. And he escaped from the battle. But they killed
Khalil Agha and three hundred Ghazis, and returned. And in Albi-
stan Amir Beg bin Gulabi Beg bin Amir Beg Mawsilu, who had been
for years Governor of Diyarbakr on behalf of the White Sheep Sultans,
came to Isma^iFs camp with his retainers, and was received and
.appointed Keeper of the Seal. Since ‘Ala‘u’d-dawla would not meet
Shah Isma^il, His Majesty named him Aladana. And the Ghazis
burnt the land of the enemy, and returned to Khuy. And on the way
Isma'il heard of the fort called Zar Pard, and that a number of the
rebel Zu’l-Qadaris dwelt therein, harassing travellers, and trusting in
the strength of their fort and their stores. So the Shah commanded
that the fort should be surrounded, and attacked. And the men of
the fort, beholding the prowess of the Ghazis, yielded it up, and
obeyed. And Isma'il put those who were guilty to death, and the
good he forgave. Then he bestowed the governorship of Diyarbakr
•on Khan Muhammad Ustajlti, and sent him thither. A strange thing
it is that the writer of the Habibu^s-siyar, though he lived at this
time, says that there was a three days’ battle between Shah Isma'il
.and ^Ala^u’d-dawla. But, in truth, there was no battle at all.

The war of Khan Muhamniad Ustdjlu and Sdru Qapaldn{^)
ZuH-Qadar.

Now Khan Muhammad, leaving the Royal camp, turned towards
‘Qara Amid.(®) And at that time the Governor, Qaytams Beg, brother

AHSANXj’T-TAWARiKH.

of Amir Beg Mawsilu, came against him, and would not give up the city.
So the Ghazis had to winter in the plain. And the Kurds of Diyarbakr
attacked them, and slew all that they met. And they made food
scarce, and it could not be got. So Khan Muhammad, seeing that
the Ghazis had nought to eat, turned to the encampment of the Kurds.
And he could not get to the foe ; so he turned his back and fled ; for
war is deceit. And the Kurds pursued after him. And when they
came to a level place, he turned. And they fought; and he over-
came them, and they fled ; and the Ghazis pursued them, and slew of
them nearly seven thousand, and took much plunder and food. And
Khan Muhammad returned to his camp. Then he heard that Qay tarns
Beg had sent to 'Ala'u’d-dawla and asked for help, saying that he
would deliver Amid to him. And 'Ala^u’d-dawla sent two thousand
men with his sons, Qasim Beg, and Saru Qapalan, and Urduwana Beg.
And Khto Muhammad, being in doubt, took counsel with his ofl&cers.
And all were for attacking ; for they thought that the enemy were
few, because of the smallness of their camp. And at dawn Muham-
mad Khan met the ZuT-Qadaris with two thousand men — ^being eight
hundred advance guard under his brother Qara Beg, and twelve
hundred in the centre under himself. On the other side Saru Qapalto
gathered his men in the centre, and attacked and overthrew Qara
Beg, whose men then fought on foot. Then Khan Muhammad threw
himself with his braves against the foe with shouts of Allah, AUah.
And the horses of the Zu’l-Qadaris were thrown against one another,
and many were overthrown on the frozen ground. And Saru Qapalan
and three hundred Zu’l-Qadaris fought on foot. But Khan Muham-
mad knew him, and commanded that he should be taken and brought
before him. Urduwana Beg was also taken. And of the Zu’l-Qadaris
seven hundred men of renown, and three Amirs, were slain. And
Saru Qapalan besought that he should be sent to the Shah, and Khan
Muhammad consented thereto. But, in the end, both he and Urdu-
wtoa were put to death, and their heads were sent to the Court. And
the messenger reached the Royal camp at ELhuy, and- was given
bounteous presents and honours, and returned to Diyarbakr. After
this Khto Muhammad made the fort of Amid his object. For some
days Amir Qaytams held the fort. Then Ahmad Chalabi, the Kalan-
tar of the ci^, turned from Amir Qaytams, and drew the Ghazis in-
to a tower. So Amir Qaytams was taken and killed, and Khan

a:^s anu’t-tawa rikh .

Muhammad took up his quarters in Amid. And, when 'Ala'u’d-dawla
heard of these things, grief and sorrow came upon him.

The ioaT{^) of Shaybak Khan and BadVu'z-zamdn,

Now Shaybak Khan, since he came to independent power and
Babur had gone to Kabul, desired to conquer Khurasan, but Sultan
Husayn Mirza was in the way. So when the Suit to died the Khto
crossed the river at Karki with a vast host, and Hamza Sultto and
Mahdi Sultto gathered the armies of Khaylto, Khatlan, Qunduz, and
Baghlto, and joined him and they camped near Andikhud, and
Amir Shto Mansur,(^) who was Badi‘u’z-zaman’s Governor, yielded
it up to them. Then Shaybak, Khto hastened to attack the princes.
And he reached Badghis, before the tidings of his crossing the river
were confirmed. Then the Sulttos of Khurasan were divided in
counsel. For Amir Zu’n-nun would fain fight in the plains; and
Amir Muhammad Buranduq was for a siege in Herat. And before
they agreed upon a plan, on the morning of Thursday the seventh of
the month Muharram, signs of Shaybak Khan’s army were seen.
Under Timur Sultan was the advance guard ; and ‘Ubayd Khto, son of
Mahmud Sultan the brother of Shaybak Khto, commanded the wings.
And Badru’z-zaman and Muzaffar Husayn drew up their army. Then
Amir Zu’n-nun, the Lion of bravery, (®) attacked. But his men were
overborne by numbers, and fled ; and he was killed. And Amir
Shekh ‘Ali, and many of his Chaghatay officers, were taken. And
the Uzbeks pursued them as far as Tughuz Ribat.

Now Sayyid 'Abdullah Mirza joined Kupuk Mirza at Mashhad.
And 'Abdu’l-baqi Mirza, and Amir Muhammad Buranduq, joined Ibn
Husayn Mirza at Sabzawto. But Badi'u’z-zamto fled towards
Qandahto, and Muzaffar Husayn towards Astarabad. So Shaybak
Khan made for Herat, and the leaders of the city met him at
Kaliadstto — Amir Jalalu’d-din Muhaddis,(^) Amir Ghiyasu’d-din
Muhammad f) bin Amir Yusuf, and the Shekhu’Uslam of Herat.(®) —
Thus they marched towards the city. And before them went the
heralds saying, ''Say not, 'Let God and Muhammad and 'Ali be thy
friends.’ But say, ' Let God and Muhammad and the four successors
be thy friends.’ ” And before the Khan there went a female singer
singing a quatrain : —

AHSAlSru’T-TAWARiKH.

Timers portals open fly ; ‘ See, here am I.’

Kings shew themselves and cry, ‘ See, here am I.’

Settle to work ; the portal opes for Death,

' The time has come to die. See, here am I.’

And the Khan commanded that she should be chastised, and that
her drum should be broken. Then he entered the city, and offered
prayers in the Great Mosque, and commanded that they should call
him in the Khutba the Imam of the Time and the Successor of the
Merciful.

Now, when Kupuk Mirza heard of this defeat, he and AbuT-Muhsin
gathered together an army. And Shaybak Khan sent Timur Sultan
and ‘Ubayd Sultan towards Mashhad with men. Then the princes,
hearing of their coming, gathered th(»ir chiefs together. And Amir
Muhammad Wall Beg said that Shaybak Khan had sent the greater
part of his army, and was in the camp at Kahadstan with but
few men ; let them attack him and fall upon him of a sudden, going
by a pathless way. And others were for attacking the Uzbeks, fear-
ing them not. And Kupuk Mirza and AbuT-Muhsin Mirza followed
the second opinion. So they left Mashhad and drew up in battle
order between Mashhad and Turuq.(^®) Then these two armies met
in battle. And the army of Khurasan was overthrown ; and the
princes were taken and brought before ‘Ubayd Khan. And both were
cut down by the sword. And the remnant of the army joined Ibn
Husayn Mirza at Sabzawar. Then ‘Ubayd Khan and Timur Sultan
advanced on Sabzawar. And Ibn Husayn Mirza stood at Ribat-i-
do-dar, and drove back the Uzbeks. But ‘Ubayd stayed his flying
men, and upbraided them. So eighty braves returned to the fight,
and fell on the centre of Ibn Husayn’s men, who were sorely shaken.
And ‘Ubayd Khan was hit sixteen times, but he was protected by
Biaqu Bahadur. And Ibn Husayn, having seen victory within his
grasp, was forced to fly. And ‘AbduT-baqi Mirza and Sayyid
‘Abdullah Mirza were killed, and Amir Muhammad Buranduq was
taken captive. But Ibn Husayn fled to ‘Iraq and Adarbayj§.n to the
Shah, and was honourably received and protected.

Miscellaneous events.

On the tenth of the first Rabi‘ the Franks conquered Hormaz,
leaving nought but the name of King to Salghur Shah(^^) bin Turan

AHSANTj’T-TAW5RiKH.

Shah, who yielded to the king of Portugal, This year Shaybak Khan
made Jan Wafa Mirza of the Naiman(^^) tribe Darogha of Herat.
And Sayyid Hadi Khwaja, his nephew, seJj-^ujrhis^tandard at Mashhad ;
and the country of Sabzawar was givm to Rais Bahadur. Qambar
Bey remained at Marv, and Ray Bey was made governor at Bakharz.
Khurram Shah Sultan, the son of Bab^ Padshal^s sister, went to the
governorship of Balkh, and Qambar MirzaK'Od^tash wtot with him.
And Timur Sultan was made Sultan of Samarqand; 'Ubayd Khto
remaining, as before, at Bukhara.

This year also Amir Shuja' Beg, son of Amir Zu’n-nun, sent great
tribute to Shaybak Khan, and professed allegiance. In the summer
Shaybak Khan got out for Transoxiana, taking with him notables
of Khurasan, Ghiyas/d-din Mjihammad, Sayyid Sa'du’d-din Ytinus,
and Qazi Ikhtiyaru’d-din Hasan. This summer, too, Muhammad
Qasim Mirza bin Sultan Husayn Mirza gathered his forces, and
advanced towards Mashhad. And Sayyid Hadi Khwaja, being unable
to withstand him, fled to Marv. So Shaybak Khan sent ‘Ubayd against
the invader, and ‘XJbayd crossed by the ford of Chahar Jti and came
to Mashhad. And Muhammad Qasim shut the gates, and withstood
him ; but he was overthrown, and captured, and killed. Then Babur(^®)
came from Kabul and Ghaznin to Qandahar, and gained possession
of the Land of Dawar, and divided amongst his nobles and chiefs the
long accumulated treasures of Amir Zu’n-nun Arghun. And, entrusting
the country to his brother Sultan Nasir Mirza, he returned to Kabul.
And Shaybak, hearing of this thing, set out for Qandahar. So, when he
came Shah Beg(^^) and Amir Muhammad Muqim hastened to him
with presents, and were sent forward with ‘Ubayd Khan, And Sultan
Nasir Mirza left Qandahar and hastened to Kabul, and sent horses to
Shaybak Khan, who restored the rule over that land to the sons of
Amir Zu’n-nun, and returned to Herat.

Deaths,

Saru Qapalan, son of ‘Ala‘u’d-dawla Zu’l-Qadar. His name was
Qasim ; but, because of his bravery, men called him Sara Qapalan,
the yellow panther. Often he fought with the armies of Turkey and
Syria. He was slain by the command of Khan Muhammad.

Muzaffar Husayn Mirza, son of Sultan Husayn Mirza. When he
fled from Shaybak Khan he went to Astarabad ; and there he died.

AHSANU’T-TAWARtKH.

Amir Zu’n-nan bin Hasan-i-Basari, of the tribe of Argliun.
In the time of Abu Sa'id he was a servant. After the affair of Qara
Bagh, Zn’n-nun hurried to Herat, and there he spent some time in
the service of Sultan Husayn Mirza. But he fled away, being not
favoured as he thought was his due. And, when Sultto Husayn
marched against Yadigar-i-Muhammad Mirza, he left Yalghuz
Yighach of Khabushto for Transoxiana and went to Samarqand, and
was received by Sultan Ahmad Mirza. After this he returned again
to Khurasan, because of the quarrels between the Tarkhani and
Arghuni nobles. And Sultto Husayn gave him the government of
'Ghur and the Land of Dawar, whither he went in 884 A.H. And in
the course of three or four years he fought with the people of these
states, and overcame them. And ^ultan Husayn, hearing of his
victories, gave him Qandahar and Farah and Sakhur. Nevertheless
he sent certain of the princes as governors to Qandahar. But at last
Amir Zu’n-nun became independent, and having conquered also SliM
and Mastung,(^®) he gave the governorship of Qandahar to his eldest
son, Shuja‘ Beg, and the Daroghaship of Sakhur and Tulak to ^Abdii’l-
*Ali Tarkhan, and the rule over Ghur to Amir Fakhru’d-din. And he
himself abode in the Land of Dawar, where he built fine buildings.
He joined Badi'u’z-zaman against Sultan Husayn. And in the battle
of Maral he was slain at the hands of Shaybak Khan. He was a just
man, and he strove to strengthen the observances of religion, and the
worship of God.

A,H. 914, The Shah makes expedition against Baghdad,

This year the Shah sent Khalil Yasawal to Baghdad. Now the
Governor of Baghdad was Barik Purnak. And, when he heard of the
coming of the the Royal dress of honour, he went to meet it, and was
honoured by the crown and the dress, and he made all his men put
on the Sufi crown, and get ready presents for the imperial ministers,
and sent them with Abu Ishaq Shirachi, who presented them to the
Shah at Hamadan. And they were approved, (^) and Abu Ishaq was
sent back to Baghdad. Then the Shah set out for Baghdad, and,
when he came near, Barik PurnUk fled to Aleppo. On the twenty-
fifth of the first Jumada the Shah reached Baghdad. And he
commanded that the Purnak men should be put to death, and many
of them were slain by the Ghazis. Then he loosed Sayyid Muhammad

AHS ANU’T-TAWARiKH .

Kamtina, a chief man among the Sayyids of Arabian ‘Iraq, who had
been imprisoned in a well by Barik ; and gave him the mutawalliship
of Najaf, and the governorship of certain cities of ‘Iraq. The
governorship of Baghdad and its dependencies was given to Kha dim
Eeg ^mlr-i-Dlwto, who was entitled KhalifatuT-Khulafa .(^)

In those days His Majesty heard of a forest, wherein there dwelt
a lion, which did much mischief, and had stopped the road in those
parts. And his lion-hearted officers begged that they might be sent
against this evil beast. But His Majesty would not let them go, but
himself approached the beast, and with a single arrow he laid it low
on the ground of destruction. And after this he turned towards
Huwayza. And Sultan Fayyaz Musha‘sha‘i,(^) the Governor, fled when
he heard of the coming of the^Shah. And His Majesty entrusted the
rule over this country to one of his just nobles ; and he turned to Dizful,
the Governor whereof sent many presents, which were accepted. Then,
too, the Governor of Shushtar came to Court with fitting offerings,
and was received. And Rustam, (^) Governor of the Lesser Lurs,
was received, and was given the rule over the Lesser Lurs and Khurra-
mabad. Having accomplished all these things the Shah passed the
winter at Shiraz, (®) and in the spring set out for Adarbayjan.

The war of Muhammad Khan Ustajlu and blind Shahruhh Zu^l-Qadar,

In the spring Khan Muhammad camped at the summer quarters
of Mardin, and sent his brother, Qara Beg, to ravage Jazira. And
Qara Beg obeyed, and slew many of the ungodly Kurds, and got
much plunder, and again joined the Khan’s camp at Mardin. And
in the meantime ‘Ala‘u’d-dawla gathered an army to avenge Saru
Qapalan and Urduwana Beg, and sent it against Khan Muhammad
with his sons, blind Shahrukh and Ahmad Beg. And hearing of
this, the Khan came to Amid, and drew up in battle order against
the ZuT-Qadar army with three thousand horse. But on the other
side blind Shahrukh came to the battle with fifteen thousand horse.
And before the battle began the Arab dogs and hounds of the armies
fought, and the Ustajlu hounds pursued the Zu’l-Qadar to the centre
of the army. And this strange sight was cheering to the Ghazis*
And at first the Zu’l-Qadaris attacked, and reached the centre of the
Ustajlus. But Khan Muhammad stood firm, and ordered attack and
advance. In fear the Zu’l-Qadaris stopped their steeds, and the

A^SANtr’T-TAWlRiKH.

Ustajlus attacked and unhorsed many. And the Zu’l-Qadaris fled,
and were pursued, and many were killed. And Shahrukh and
Ahmad Beg and Muhammad Beg, the son of 'Aziz Agha, were taken,
and forty chiefs, and Murad Beg, and Urkamz Beg, and Qay tarns Beg.
And these last two were suffered to live, but the rest were killed ;
and their heads, and the two living men, were sent to Court. His
Majesty was marching from Khuy to 'Iraq when Khan Muhammad’s
messenger, with prisoners and heads, arrived and reported about the
battle. The Shah set free Urkamz and Qaytams and made them his
servants, and sent to Khan Muhammad a gold embroidered crown and
a jewelled sword- Then 'Ala'u’d-dawla wept, and put. on a black felt.
And his chiefs also put on sackcloth, and mourned. And he perceived
that to hope for Diyarbakr was as the beating of air in a mortar.

The coming of Shaybak Khan to Astardbad, and the
flight{^) of Bad¥u’z-zamdn,

Now this year Shaybak Khan crossed the Oxus for Astarabad,
and Badi'u’z-zaman, hearing of his coming, left his son Mirza
Muhammad Zaman, with his uncle Faridun Husayn Mirza, in the
fort of Damaghan, and set forth for Traq and Adarbayjan. And
Shaybak Khto entrusted Astarabad to Khwaja Ahmad Qunqurat.C^)
And when the Khan appeared at Damaghan Muhammad Zaman
Mirza, and Faridun Husayn Mirza, and all the chiefs, determined to
resist a siege ; and the Uzbeks besieged the fort. But after some
days the princes sent envoys to the Khan, asking for quarter. And
a pact was made, and they were kindly received. Mirza Muhammad
Zaman was permitted to go to Adarbayjan, and Faridun Husayn
Mirza, without leave from the EJian, fled to the river Atrak and among
the Yaqa Turkmans.(®) Then the Khan took the whole country
from Bistam to Turkistan, and passed the summer at Ulang-i-
Radkan,(®) and in the winter hastened to Transoxiana.

Miscellaneous events.

This year the Shth made Shekh Najm Zargar Wazir , and his
seal was placed above all seals on ojSScial d eeds. Badi'u’z-zaman, fleeing
from the Uzbeks, came to the Shah’s Court, and by His Majesty’s
command, he was met by Bayram Beg Qaramanlu. And he was
honourably received, and a fitting place was appointed for him.

AHSANXj’T-TAWSRiKH,

Deaths.

Blind Shahmkh, son of 'Ala‘u’d-dawla Zul-Qadar. He was blind,
and the cause of his blindness was this. In 894 A.H. Budaq Beg
Zu’l-Qadar Ughali went to Bayazid of Turkey, and taking a force
from the Sultan, attacked Shahrukh at night, and captured him, and
blinded him. In revenge ‘Ala'u’d-dawla made a great war on the
Turkish army. Budaq fled, but Muhal Ughali Iskandar Beg the
Turkish commander was taken, and sent to Qansti the King of Egypt.
A marvel is that there was a blind man in the Ustajlu army, who
ever complained to God, and said : — ‘ 0 God, make the blind the
captive of the blind.’ And in the battle he captured the blind
Shahrukh.

This year, too, Muhammad Muqim bin Amir Zu‘n-nun Arghun
died a natural death at Qandahar.

A.H. 913. Second expedition of the Shah to Shtrwan.

The Shah, this winter of excessive cold, left Khuy for Shirwan,
and reached the river KQr, and crossed by a bridge he had ordered to be
made. Shekhshah, hearing of the Shah’s coming, prepared for siege in
the fort of Biqrid. The Royal camp moved towards Baku, Its Kotwal
hastened to the Court with presents, and was honoured with rewards
and special dresses. The Shah proceeded from Baku to Shabiran,(^)
and the Governor hastened to meet him, and submitted. After this His
Majesty advanced towards Darband,(®) which is a fortress of renowned
strength. And the army gathered there. At the fort were Yar
Ahmad Agha and Muhammad Beg, and men who knew of battles.
And they sent down arrows and stones, while the Persian braves
fought, and their mine drivers mined. And they made the towers of
the fort like unto a sieve. And Yar Ahmad Agha and Muhammad
Beg perceived that the case was a hard one. So with sword and shroud
they came to the Court, and were honourably received. And His
Majesty placed on the neck of Mansur Beg the collar of the govern-
ment of Darband. And he commanded that the body of Sultan
Haydar, which had been buried in Tabarsaran,(®) should be moved
to Ardabfl. So they placed it in a litter, and buried it in the family
tomb. And his members were not decayed, though he had long been
dead. Then the Shah returned across the Kur, and came to Tabriz.

AHSANU’T-TAW ARIKH.

Miscellaneous events.

Now this summer Shaybak Khan sent a great army to attack
Kirman. And they plundered certain of its districts, and killed
Khwaja Shekh Muhammad, the Kalantar of Kirman and returned to
Khurasan. And Shaybak Khan sent a letter to the Shah, and in it
was this verse ; —

Desire ends not for us when all
‘Iraq before us lies.

Por Mecca and Medina are
Our final goal and prize.

A.nd to this the Shah replied : —

Yet Mecca and Medina give
Salvation not to you, -
Who are Bu Turab’s(^) foes, nor yield
To him devotion true.

And this year Shaybak Khan was defeated by Qasim Sultan,
King of the Plain of Qipchaq, and came back to Khurasan in disorder.
Thereafter he led an army against the Hazara and Nikildari(^) tribes
of the hill country of the Land of Dawar, but could do nothing. This
year, too, in the month of Rajab, the Shah dismissed AbdM Beg Dada,
the grantee of Qazwin and Sawukh Bulagh and Ray, and gave his fief
to Zaynal Beg Shamlu, and gave him the title of Khan. And the
great place of Sadarat he gave in sole charge to Sayyid Sharif of
Shiraz, one of the sons of the daughter of Amir Sayyid Sharif 'All^ma.
And in Tabriz he dismissed Husayn Beg Lala, the Amiru’l-umara,
and gave his place to Muhammad Beg Sufrachi Ustajlu and the
title of Chayan Sultan. And Qazi Muhammad(®) of Kashan, who
held the Sadarat and was an Amir, and had slain men unjustly, and
done other evil things, and had been given the governorship of Yazd
and K§.shan and many places in Persian ^Iraq, and held also the
governorship of Shiraz, was put to death by the Shah^s command.

Deaths,

Paridun Husayn Mirza, son of Suit to Husayn Mirza. When he
heard of Shaybak Khan’s attack on Qasim Sultto he left the Yaqa
Turkmtos, and took the fort of Kalat.(^) But Qambar Beg, the
Oovernor of Marv, attacked Kalat with an Uzbek army, and captured
Paridun and killed him.

Ai^SANXX’T-TAWARlKH.

Najmu’d-dm Mas'ud, the Wakll of the Shah , died of pleurisy at
Khamna .n ear Tabriz. And they took his body to Najaf. His place
was given to Amir Yar Muhammad of Khtizan under Isfahan, who
was given the title of Najmu’s-sani. Mawlana Ummidi of Tehran
wrote a qasida in his honour.

A.H. 916. The Shakes war withMhkir^dWXhdn.

Now, since the time that Shaybak Khan conquered Khurasan,
the Shah was ever thinking of battle against him. Yet, because of
other affairs he could not act. But this year all fear was gone for
"Iraq, and Pto, and Kirman, and Shirwan, and Adarbayjan, and
Diyarbakr. And much he heard of Shaybak’s conquests in Khurasan
and Badakhshan and Transo:^iana, and in Taskand and Turkistan.
Moreover Shaybak Kdian Shaybani had thoughts of sovereignty, and
had left the path of justice, and trodden the way of tyranny, and had
forsaken the old and straight road, and ever made invasions, and
plundered the poor. And he had sent Isma"il a letter, (^) writing
thus, in words offensive : —

" 0 Isma"il D^rogha, honoured by our Royal regard ! Know that
the duty of Government, and of the destruction of foes, was confirmed
by Everlasting Decree to our august forefather, and that the throne
of justice has been given to Us, and the stamp of bravery adorns Us.
And a voice has come to Us from the Unseen. And the words of the
Prophet show that the son inherits what was his father’s. Thy rise
is even as the rise of Canopus, while Ours is the coming of the Sun.

" Now concerning the pilgrimage which is incumbent on all Moslem
men, keep the roads that lead to the Ka"ba, for Our armies desire to
visit it. Let men make ready presents, and let them stamp coins with
Our titles and recite the Khutba in Our victorious name. And come
thyself to Our Court. Else We shall send Our son, "Ubaydullah, with
men from Bukhara, and Samarqand, and Hazara, and Nikudari,
and Ghur, and Gharjistan, that they may chastise thee; or Our
younger son, Timur Bahadur with chiefs and soldiers from Qandahar,
and Baghlan, and Hisar-Shadmto, and Badakhshan, as far as the
coasts of Turkistan ; or "Abdu’l-Nasr Kamalu’d-din Sunjuk Bahadur
Khan, with Hamza Bahadur Khan on the right wing, and Salimu’d-
din Mahdi Bahadur Khan on the left, and with chiefs and men from
Andijan, and Qand-i“Badam,(^) and Shahrukhiyya, and Tashkand,

AjpSA^Tj’T-TAWlEiKII.

and the cities of Sabz, and XJtripa, and Sayran, and Urganj, and
Khiva, and the banks of the Oxus, and Kashghar, and Manqut, to the
coasts of Qipchaq and QulmSq.’

Therefore His Majesty was set on marching against him. And he
sent his standard bearers into all parts to gather his armies. And
they moved from camp Snltauiyya towards Ray, and from thence to
Damaghan. And the Governor, A^ad Sultan, the son-in-law of
Shaybak Khan, when he heard of the coming of the Persians, fled to-
wards Herat. Ahmad Qunqurat, also, the Governor of Astarabad,
fled towards lOiiva. And the lords of Astarabad, Seyyid Rafi‘, Baba
Nodar, and others, brought presents, and were received at Bistam.
.-Ind at Jajurm Khwaja Muzaffar Bitikchi entered the Shah’s service.

But Shaybak Khan, sorely distressed after his expedition to
Hazara, was staying at Balkh when Ahmad Sultan came to Herat,
and reported that the Shah had come to Khurasan for battle, with a
countless host of archers and swordsmen and spearmen. And Shaybak
Khan, for all his boasting that he would lead his men to conquer *Iraq
and Adarbayjan and then to the Hijaz, was smitten with fear, so that
late in the month of Rajah, and before the Royal armies reached
Sabzawar, he fled from Herat to Marv. And, after he fled, Jan Wafa
Mirza hastened after him to Marv with the men of Transoxiana. And
Shaybak Khan, intending to be besieged, brought the people from
outside into the city, and strengthened its fortifications, and sent
messengers to Bukhara and Samarqand, to call ‘Ubayd Khan and
Timur Sultan. News of all this reached the Shah near Tus. And he
went to visit the tomb of ‘All bin Musa, the Eighth Imam, and gave
largess to the Sayyids and the chief men and attendants of the Holy
Shrine. Then scouts brought in certain of the enemy, whom they
had taken near Jam. And from them it was known that Shaybak
Khan had fled towards Marv. So the Royal armies set out for that
city, and Dana Muhammad Beg Afshar was sent ahead from Sarakhs.
with troops towards Marv. Then Shaybak Khan sent two of his
nobles, Jan Wafa Mirza and Qambar Beg, to meet the Persians.
Near Tahirabad they met and fought, and Dana Muhammad was
killed by an Uzbek arrow, but the Ghazis prevailed and drove the
Uzbeks into Marv. And the Shah encamped outside Marv on the
twentieth of the month of Sha'ban, and Div Sultan RQmlu, Chayan
Sultan Ustajlu, Badinjan Sultan Rumlu, Za3mal Khan Shamlfi, and

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

Mirza Muhammad X^lish, attacked the gate. And certain fierce
Uzbeks came out and fought, and many were killed on both sides.
And, when darkness fell, they camped again, and watched. In the
morning again they fought till eve, and again they camped and watched
and in the morning fought again. And Mirza Muhammad Talish
showed how brave he was. In this manner they fought outside Marv
for the space of seven days.

The battle, and the death{^) of Muhammad Khan Shaybdm.

Now, when the Shah had besieged Marv for some days, and saw
no sign of victory, he was minded to retreat one day’s march, so that
Shaybak Khan should take heart and come out, purposing then to
turn and destroy him, So, cufi Wednesday the twenty-eighth of the
month Sha'ban, he moved from outside Marv, and camped near the
village of Mahmudi, three leagues from the city. For a day and tw^o
nights he stayed there. And on the next day he kept Amir Beg
Turkman with three hundred horse at the bridge of Mahmudi, com-
manding him to flee, when he saw the blackness of the Uzbek army,
and rejoin him, so that the foe might take courage and cross the black
water that was on that road. And, when Shaybak Khan came to
know of the retreat of the Royal army, he thought they would go back
to Traq and Adarbayjan. By reason of his caution he would not
leave Marv the first day, but took counsel with his officers. And
Qambar Beg and Jan Wafa Mirza pleaded that he should wait yet
two or three days, till 'Ubayd Khan and Timur Sultan joined them,
and then go out, for, said they, the Qizilbash retreat was not from
weakness, but from fraud. But Shaybak Khan was over proud, and he
abused them, and they were silenced. And his wife, Mughal Khanam,
upbraided him, saying he had ofttimes written to the Shah and called
him to battle. And now he had come with his tired army even unto
Marv. But Shaybak Khan let the dust of shame settle on his head,
and would not leave Marv. Let him now go to battle, as a, brave man
should, for cowardice is a vice among men.

And at the words of Mughal Khanam Shaybak Khan’s zeal was
fired, and on the Friday morn he set his foot outside the fortress
with a vast host.(^) When he reached Mahmudi Amir Khan Turk-
mto fled; and Shaybak crossed the black water. And amazement
took him when he saw the Royal army drawn up for battle. It is

AHSANTj’T-TAWARiKH.

said that, when his sight fell on the Qiziibash array, he repented of his
boldness, and told Khwaja Mahmud the Wazir to go and hearten Jan
Wafa Mirza, saying : ‘ Be firm of heart, for I wdll overthrow the Qizil-
bashes.' But Jan Wafa Mirza cursed the Khan, and said; ' Tell the
Khan their army is mighty, and, with the men we have, we cannot over-
come them. Pity it is that he hearkened not to our counsel. But
now has he given us and himself over to death, and our wives and
children will be captives in the hands of the Qizilbashes ’ . Then
Shaybak took the centre of his army, and entrusted the right and left
wings to Qambar Beg and Jan Wafa Mirza.

And, when the Shah knew from the coming of Amir Beg that the
foe was nigh at hand, he drew up his army, and gave the right and
left wings to his chiefs, Amir Najmu’s-gani, Bayram Beg Qaramanlu,
Chayan Sultto Ustajlu, Div Sultan Rumlu, Husayn Beg Lala, Abdal
Beg Dada, Zaynal Beg Shamlu, and Badinjan Sultan Rumlu. Then
the braves rushed upon one another, and the Shah turned back his
turban from his Sufi cap, and drew his mighty sword, and charged the
foe. All day long Shaybak Khan held firm, but in the end the
Persians prevailed. And when the sun rose countless numbers of the
foe lay dead. Of the men of Khurasan Khwaja JaMu’d-din Mah-
mud, Khwaja Husayn Diwto, and Khwaja 'Abdullah of Marv, were
killed, and many of the Uzbeks. And Qambar Beg and Jan Wafa
Mirza were taken captive, and were put to death. And the remnants
of the Uzbek army reached the black water in their flight, and thought
to cross it and be saved. But they fell into the whirlpool of destrue-
tion. The Mahmudi channel was blocked with men and horses, and,
whosoever crossed, went over the bodies of men and their steeds.
Then Shaybak Khan, fleeing, reached a walled place, whence was no
way out. And the Ghazis(^) came round about it ; and the Uzbeks
crowded, one on the top of another ; so that many were crushed be-
neath their horses. And some, in whom the breath of life was left,
stood upon the dead, and reached the top of the wall. Then these
men the Ghazis slew. And, when all were slain, certain of the Royal
servants found Shaybak Khan smothered beneath the crush, and dead.
Then the Shah commanded that his wicked head should be cut from
off his body, and stuffed with straw, and sent to Sultan Bayazid of
Turkey, and that the bones of his skull should be mounted in gold
and fashioned into a cup. And they poured wine into it, and sent it

A]9:SA3Srir’T-TAWARfKH,

round in the Royal assembly. Mamush,(^) and Qazi Mansur,
and all the chiefs, and ten thousand Uzbek warriors, were slain, and
not one was left alive. So Khurasan bloomed once more.

Then the Shah moved towards Marv. And there he divided
among his chiefs and Ghazis the goods of Shaybak Khan, which he
had amassed in many years. And he bestowed Marv on Dada Beg.
Then, having sent out news of the victory, he marchedC^) upon
Herat ; and there he stayed for the winter. And 'Ubayd Khan, who
was coming to help Shaybak, arrived when the Uzbek army had been
broken. And he took away Mughal Khanam, and made for Bukhara
in fear.

Miscellaneous events.

This year Tl Pars Khan, (®)» who was of the descendant of Shayban
bin Juji bin Chingiz Khan, conquered Kliwarazm, and sent Kupuk Beg
Qushchi as Darogha there. Now the Shah had bestowed the Amirship
of Khurasan on Atlandi Beg. But Sharif Sufi Mir Khizr Ili took
Khwarazm from him. Then II Pars came with a great host from the
Plain of Qipchaq, and Sharif Sufi gave up the province of Khwarazm
to him.

At the winter quarters Mirza Sultan Uways bin Mirza Sultan
Mahmud bin Sultan Abu Said, known as Khan Mirza, (®) came to
Court with presents from Badakhshan, and after some days returned
to his own country.

This year Sultan Salim and his father Sultto Bayazid fought a
great battle at Kuy,(^®) between Adrianople and Constantinople.
And Sultan Salim fled to Trebizond.

Deaths,

Shaybak Khan(^^) binBudaq Sultan bin Abu’l Khayr Khan bin
Dawlat Shekh bin Ilti Ughalan bin Fulad Ughalan bin Ayba Khwaja
bin Taghtay bin Balaghan bin Shayban bin Juji bin Chingiz Khan.
His mother was Quzi Begam. In his boyhood his father died, and
his grandsire, Abu’l Khayr, kept him. And when his grandsire died
he went to Qasim Sultto, Lord of the Plain of Qipchaq. And he
inclined the Uzbeks to himself, and turned towards Utrar and Say-
ran.(^^) But the Ruler of those places, Tranji Khan bin Jani Beg
Khan, overcame him, and he hastened to Bukhara. And 'Abdu’l-'Ali
Tarkhan, the Governor of Bukhara on behalf of Sultan Ahmad

AHSA3SrXj’T-TAW5RiKH.

Mirza bin Sultan Abfi Sa'id, received him with honour, and took him
to Samarqand to Sultan Ahmad Mirza ; and he stayed there two years.
Then he set out for the Plain, and warred against and overcame
Paranduq Khan, the King of the Plain, and conquered Sayran as has
been written. In his person he was like Kudaja Ahmad bin Hasan
Padshah. He lived sixty-two years, and he reigned for eleven years.
His realm was Transoxiana, and Khurasto, Hisar Shadman, and
Badakhshan. After his death Timur Suit to, his son, struck coins at
Samarqand in his own name, and ‘Ubayd Khan proclaimed himself
Sultto in Bukhara, and married Shaybak’s widow. And Jani Beg
took the province of Karmaniya.

Now, one day before the victory in Khurasan, Agha Rustam
Ruz Afzun, the Ruler of Mazandarto,ehad said, ^My hand is on the
skirt of Shaybak Khan.’ So, when the Shto killed Shaybak Khto he
commanded Darwish Muhammad Yastoal to take one hand of Shaybak
Khto to Sari, and throw it on the skirt of Agha Rustam. And from
this Rustam fell sick and died. And after him his son Agha Muham-
mad, with Mir ‘AbduT-karim(^^) and Khwaja Muzaffar Bitikchi. set
out for the Shah’s camp, and reached the Court near Samnan and
paid three thousand tumans to the Shah by way of fine.

The Shekhu’l-Islam(^^) of Herat. He was the first of his age
as a Commentator, and in the Traditions and Jurisprudence, and was
Shekhu’l-Islam for nigh thirty years in Khurasan in the days of
Sultto Husayn Mirza. He was put to death, by the Shto’s command,
as a Sunni, in the month of Ramazto.

A.E, 917,

Then the Shah marched from Herat to the- country of Trans-
oxiana. And, when he reached Maymana and Paryto, envoys came
with tribute to the Royal camp from ‘Ubayd Khan and Timur Sultan,
bringing humble petition, and saying, that Transoxiana was even as
a part of the Royal Empire ; what need was there to conquer it ?
So the Shah accepted their petition. And he granted Balkh and
Shiburghto and Andikhuy(^) to Bayram Beg Qaramanlu, and return-
ed towards Traq, and wintered at Qum. And in the spring he be-
thought him of hunting. And game was found at Rasifjto under
Sawa, and about four and twenty thousand beasts were numbered.

Thence he went to the summer quarters of Bish Barmaq,(^) and from
thence to Stirluq.

Events in Turkey.

This year Shah Quli Baba Takalu set out from Mantasha(^) and
Karmiyto,(^) which is also called Taka Ili, with a company of Sufis
for the Court of the Shah in Adarbayjan. But the Governor of Taka
111 was an ofl6.cer of the Sultto ; wherefore he came against the Sufis
with four thousand horse. And Shah Quli Baba met the Turks with
his Ghazis, and a battle was fought. And the men of Guidance
overthrew the companions of Error, and slew their leader. And
many Turks were taken captive, and Shah Quli Baba killed them all.
And when tidings of his victory reached the disciples of his family,
they arnried themselves, and joined him, and thought to conquer
Qaramta,(®) and camped in those coasts. At that time Qara Gu 2 ;
Pasha was Governor on behalf of the Sultan. And he got ready his
men, and set his heart on war. And when the two met, many were
slain on both sides, but the breeze of victory blew upon Baba. So
Qara Guz fled, and the SOfis pursued after him, and captured his
goods, and marched upon Sivas. Then Sultan Bayazid, when he
heard of this defeat, sent the Grand Wazir Khadim ^Ali Pasha, (®)
with fifty thousand horse. And the Pasha marched against the Sufis.
So Shah Quli Baba made ready his army, and placed in the front a
thousand Abyssinian slaves. And the Turks attacked those foot
soldiers in front of the Ghazis’ army and killed about five hundred
men ; and the remnant joined the centre. Then Baba drew in his
flanks to the centre, and fell upon "All Pasha, and to him was the
victory ; and ‘Ali Pasha was overthrown and fled. And the Takalus
pursued, and killed ‘Ali Pasha and an army of Turks. But Baba, too
tasted of death, and became a martyr. So the Sufis appointed his
successor, and set out for Arzinjto. And there they found five
hundred merchants from Tabriz, bound for Turkey with stores of
merchandise. And greed overcame the Sufis, and they fell upon
these poor men, and slew them all ; and, taking their goods, set out
fpr the Persian Court. Now at that time the Shah was at Ray,
having returned from Khurasan. And His Majesty received them.
But he put their chiefs to death, (^) forasmuch as they had slain the
merchants ; and the others he gave to his nobles to serve them.

ahsanu’t-tawarikh.

The war of Babur Padshah with Hamza Sultan and
Mahdl Sultan Uzbek.

Now this year Babur Padshah marched(®) on Hisar Shadmair,
and Badakhshan, and Qunduz, and Baghlan. Hamza Sultan and
Mahdl Sultan, the Governors of that country, gathered together the
armies of Tukharistan, and hastened against him. And they met where
the two countries join. And Babur attacked, and Hamza and Mahdi
were slain ; and Babur abode in Badakhshan in all pomp- And he
sent envoys to the Shah, saying that, if His Majesty would send
help, Samarqand and Bukhara would be taken, and coins struck and
the Khutba said in his name. So the Shah sent Ahmad Bfeg Sufi
Ughali and Shahrukh Beg Afshar with a body of Ghazis to help
Babur. Then Babur set out against the Uzbeks. And when Timur
Sultan and ‘Ubayd Khan heard of this, they hastened to Turkistan.
And Babur and the Ghazis stayed at Samarqand, and recited the
Khutba in the name of the Shah, and stamped the coins with the
names of the Twelve Imams, and by the Shah’s command sent Khan
Mirza to rule over Badakhshan. And he sent Ahmad Beg Sufi Ughali
to Court with presents. But he was negligent in the matter of
supporting Muhammad Jan Agha, the Ishiq Aghasi of Najm Beg,
who had gone to Samarqand. So Muhammad Jan, when he reached
the Royal Court at Qum, reported that Babur was minded to be*
rebellious. And the Shah took thought what he should do against
Babur. And Najm-i-sani, the Wakil, planned that the Shah should
send him to Transoxiana. And the Shah consented thereto, and
commanded that ZaynuT-Abidi Beg Safawi, Piri Beg Qajar, and
Badinjan Rumlu, should go with Najm-i-sani to Transoxiana. And
Amir Najm set out to gain his object with surpassing pomp and
pride.

Miscellaneous events.

This year Amir Sayyid Sharif of Shiraz set out for Arabian Traq..
Early in the month Zi’l-Hijja the Shah gave the Sadarat to Amir
/Abdu’l-baqi of Yazd, who was of the family of Ni'matullah Kirmani,.
[MawlUna Pasihu’d-din died. He was a wondrous player- of ohess^
playing with high and low, sitting together, or at a distance*. Among
his poems is a qasida of lament for Amir ‘Ali Shir.

AHSAKH’T-TAWARtal. 5^

Deaths.

Shah Quli Baba(^) Takalu was the son of Hasan Khalifa.
Twice Hasan Khalifa came to see Sultto Haydar, who sent him with
forty men to the place of fasting, and with each of them a jug of
water and a loaf, to be their sustenance for forty days. And when
the time was over, they came out. And all had consumed their
portions, save only Hasan Khalifa, who brought his portion back to
the Saint. Then the preceptor gave him leave to go, and sent him to
Taka Ili. And when he came there he abode at his own place.
And Pira Sinan, one of Sultan Haydar’s Sufis, spoke to those
who were met together, saying : — ' Hasan Khalifa has come. Nay,
he has brought to Taka Ili a living fire.’ And God Almighty gave Shah
Quli Baba to Hasan Khalifa, ^nd in the winter he would abide with
the Taka Ili tribe, but in the summer among the men of Takar
Mishlu. And marvels are told of him, and men followed him. And
he rose up in Turkey, as has been written.

A.H. 918. The war{^) of Babur Padshah with ^Ubayd Khan
and Jdnl Beg Sultan Uzbek.

This year ‘Ubayd Khan, and Timur Sultan, and Jani Beg(^)
Sultan, marched with many men, on Bukhara. And their advance
guard plundered the outskirts of that city. ^ And, when Babur heard
of this, he set out against the Uzbeks with a few men. Now Muham-
mad Mazid Tarkhan held it unwise to go near the enemy without
equipment. But Babur heeded him not, and set out. And, when he
was near to Bukhara, he heard that the Uzbeks had moved back some
stages. And thereby he was heartened and he followed them for two
or three marches. Then ‘Ubayd and Timur, appointing capable men
over the wings of their army, and casting all cowardice from out their
hearts, appeared in the plain. Then Muhammad Babur made ready
his army. And the two armies stepped into the field of battle, and
the battle began. And the Chaghatay(^) men got the victory, and
they took captive Urus Beg, and Kupuk Beg, and Khwaja Ahmad
Qunqurat, and a number of Uzbeks, and bore them before Babur
Padshah, by whose order they were put to death. So the Uzbek
army fled, and the Chaghatays pursued after them. But when they
fled, lo ! 'Ubayd Khan was hidden in a cave with two hundred men,
waiting for an occasion. And, when Babur saw no Uzbeks on the*

ahsanu’t-tawarikh.

field of battle, he sent his men after them, and five hundred only
remained with him. Then ‘Ubayd Khan came from out of that secret
place like lightning with his two hundred warriors, and fell upon the
Chaghatay army. On that day Biyaqu Bahadur, the Lion of Battle,
overthrew twenty horsemen. And Babur, when he thought to see the
face of victory, was overthrown, and fled towards Bukhara. And
‘Ubayd Khan in his guile took down his own standard and set up
that of Babur, so that those who returned from pursuing after the
Uzbeks might think it was their own King’s. And, when they came
nigh, the Uzbeks slew them ; and by this guile five hundred men were
slain. And Babur Padshah went from Bukhara to Samarqand, and
from thence, taking his family, he went to Hisar Shadman. And
‘Ubayd Khan and Jani Beg went each to his own place. And in the
first month of Jumada together they went to Hisar Shadmto. But
Babur, Khan Mirza helping him, made the fort strong, and sent a man
to Balkh to ask for succour. So Bayram Qaramani sent Amir
Muhammad(^) of Shiraz with a force of Ghazis to help him. And the
Uzbek Sultans, when they heard of the coming of the Ghazis, repented
and returned.

The war of ^Ubayd Khan and Najm Beg.

Now, when Najm Beg heard of this, he set his heart on driving
back the Uzbeks, and came to the confines of Khurasan with twelve
thousand horse. And Husayn Beg Lala, the Governor of Herat,
joined him with a brave army, and together they two advanced on
Transoxiana. And at Balkh Bayram Beg Qaramani made a feast for
them ; and Amir Najm remained outside Balkh about twenty days,
and sent a body of Ghazis to the river to collect boats. Then a
countless host crossed the Oxus. And Amir Najm sent Amir Muham-
mad bin Amir Yusuf to Babur, saying, that His Majesty should come
quickly, so that he, Najm Beg, might do in the conquering of the
country as Babur thought fitting. So Amir Muhammad Yusuf went
to Hisar Shadman, and made a feast. Thereafter Babur went along
with Amir Muhammad and his men to the camp. And Amir Najm,
when he heard of his coming, met him with his nobles at the village
of Darband“i“Ahinin.(^) And when the Uzbek chiefs heard of the
crossing of Najm Beg, they brought grain into the fort,(®) and made
strong its ramparts and towers. And Amir Najm advanced against it,

A^SANU’T-TAWSEiKH.

and the Governor, Pulad Sultan, made peace and came out. But
he and the Uzbek soldiers of the fort were put to death at the com-
mand of Amir Najm. And from thence the Persians marched to-
wards QarshI, and Shekham Mirz§/,(^) the Governor of that fort,
strengthened it. And the Ghazis surrounded Qarshi, and having
damaged the walls, poured into the city. And Shekham Mirza fell a
prey to fate, and it was ordered that there should be a general
massacre, in which about fifteen thousand persons both young and old,
and small and great, were slain. And the Sayyids of the place took
refuge in the Great Mosque, and sent a man to Amir Muhammad
Yusuf, saying, that they were of the house of ‘Ali, the Friend of the
Qizilbashes. Let him tell Amir Najm of their case, and make their
wives and children safe from jthe slaughter. So Amir Muhammad
went to Amir Najm, and asked for their lives. But that evil man
answered that in the countries they took in war the Ghazis slaughtered
all, neither did they care if a man were a Sayyid or not. So the
Qizilbashes entered the mosque, and slew all the Sayyids along with
their wives and their children.

Then the Persians, with Babur and the loyal chiefs, turned
to Bukhara ; for ‘Ubayd Khan and Jani Beg were there. And two
leagues from Bukhara Amir Najm heard that Timur Sultan and
Abu Said Sultan, the son of Kuchum Khan, had left Samarqand
with a large army. And he sent Bayram Beg Qaramani against
them. And the Uzbeks prepared for siege in the fort of Ghuj-
duwan,(®) and Amir Najm came to the fort, and besieged them. Timur
Sultan and Abu Said sent men out to fight, but they were forced to
flee back to the fort. Daily from mom till eve they fought. But
after some days Najm Beg’s stores grew less, and Babur was instant
that they should go back and winter at Qarshi, till stores came from
Balkh; when winter ended, and the Uzbek stores ran short, they
should again attack their forts and lands. But Najm Beg hearkened
not} sajnng that on the morrow they would have a royal fight. On
Sunday, the third of the month Ramazan, an. Uzbek vanguard
appeared among the trees of Ghujduwan. For, when ‘Ubayd Khan
and Jani Beg at Bukhara heard that Amir Najm could get no victory
outpide Ghujduwan, they set out rapidly with many warriors, both
foot and horse. And at Ghujduwan AbQ Sa‘id and TimQr Sultan
who were in the fort joined them. Now the Qizilbash chiefs, being at

AHSAKir’T-TAWARiKH.

‘62

variance with Amir Najm, had marched for Khurasan; and Najm
Beg and Bay ram Beg went to meet the Uzbeks with but a few men.
And a force of 'Ubayd Khan’s men attacked their right wing. Bay-
xam Khan Qaramani hastened to meet them, but he was shot and fell.
So the Uzbeks broke Najm Beg’s army, and took him captive, and
bore him before ‘Ubayd Khan; and he was killed by the Khan’s
order. And in their flight many Ghazis were drowned in the Oxus.
But Babur set out for Hisar Shadmto.(®)

And, when the Uzbek Sultans found themselves possessed of
equipment and numbers, they thought to conquer Khurasan. First,
Jani Beg crossed the Oxus, and moved on Herat and camped at
Ulang-i-Kahadstan. Husayn Beg'Lala and Ahmad Beg Sufi Ughali,
who had hardly saved themselves fron^the battle field of Ghujduwan,
•strengthened the fortification of Herat, Ahmad defended the fort of
Ikhtiyaru’d-din,(^°) and Husayn Beg Lala the tower of Mirza Sultan
Ahmad. Amir Ghiyasu’d-din Muhammad held the Malik Gate.
Amir ‘Imadu’d-din Mahmud set up his standard at the Firuzabad
Gate. And twice Jani Beg’s men approached the moat by way of the
White Garden, but they were driven back. And three or four times
they attacked from the side of the Firuzabad Gate, but they were
overthrown by Amir Jmadu’d-din Mahmud’s men. But in one of the
fights Baba ‘Ishqi Tabarai fell into the hands of the Uzbeks, and
was killed. At that time ‘Ubayd Khan appeared outside Herat,
and camped at the village of Saq-i-Salman. Sometimes his men got
to the barricades and fought ; but they could not prevail. For the
•space of two months these two misguided Sultans abode outside
Herat, and, because the rain harvest had failed this year, the men of
the city were sore pressed.

The sending hy the Shah of Nur 'All Khallfa{^^) Bfimlu to Turkey,
and the spoiling of that land.

This year, when the Shah heard of the rebellions in Turkey, he sent
Nur ‘All Khalifa Rumlu to that land to gather together the faithful
Sufis. When Khalifa reached Qara Hisar, the disciples of that
land, being three or four thousand horsemen with their families,
joined him. Strengthened by them he moved towards Malatlya.
When the Sultan’s Governor, Faiq Beg, heard of this he hastened with
three thousand horse to do battle with him. They met at TuqatJ^^)

a^sanu’t-tawarikh.

and the victory was to Khalifa. And the Turks fled, and much booty
fell into the hands of the Ghazis and Sufis. The men of the city were
received, and the Khutba was recited in the name of the Shah. So
Khalifa did them no harm ; and he went to Adina Bazari, and
crossed from there to Qaz Chaylri. Then Sultan Mui‘ad(^^) bin
Sultan Bayazid, fleeing from Sultto Salim, joined him, and they two
went to Tuqat. This time the men of the city withstood them, and
the Ghazis burnt the city, and turned to Nik Shahr. Sultan Murad,
having parted from Khalifa, betook himself to the Shah’s Court.
And Khalifa sent a body of Ghazis to plunder the men of Shekh
Khunuslu. And this they did, and rejoined Khalifa’s camp with
goods galore and conquests more. Then Khalifa turned towards
Arzinjan. And when the Ghazi^ chief arrived at the village Ayuyazi,
he heard that Sinan Pasha, Husayn Beg, and Taju’d-din Beg, with
fifteen thousand horse, had followed his army. Therefore he turned
back, and drew up over against them, making a force of warriors his
advance guard. The Turkish leaders, ascending rising ground and
arraying their forces, opposed him. And they overcame the advance
guard, and reached the centre. With a chosen body Khalifa attacked.
When Sinan Pasha beheld the prowess of the Qizilbashes, he was
affrighted ; and in the evening he fled, pursued by the Ghazis, who
slew him and fifteen hundred of his men. Moreover in their flight the
Turks reached a dry river, and a large mound fell on them, swallow-
ing up fifteen hundred souls. After this victory Khalifa sent the
Turkish heads and much booty by trusty men to the Shah’s Court and
camped at Arzinjto, which was his fief.

Deaths.

This year Sultan Bayazid bin Sultan Muhammad bin Sultan
Murad bin Sultan Muhammad bin Tldarim Bayazid bin Suit to Murad
bin Urkhto bin 'Usman bin Artughral died. For a company of
Janissaries joined together, and brought his son Salim, who was
Governor of Trebizond, to Constantinople, and set him on the throne,
and deposed Bayazid, who sickened in grief for this, and died. Jami
adorned his ' Chain of Gold ’(^^) with his name, and praised him in
these words : —

Would that Nawshirwto were now alive ;

That his justice had even been greater.

AHSANXj’T-TAWARiKH.

Then would lie have been ashamed,

And proclaimed himself the Sultan’s slave.

Bayazid Tldarim, Lord of the Earth,

Spreader of Honour, Pride of his Realm.

And in his reign many defeats fell on the Turks, especially from
the army of Egypt. His reign was of thirty-two years. After his
death his son Sultan Ahmad had the Khutba read in his name in
Anatolia. But Sultan Salim had letters written by his Pashas, saying,
that if Ahmad came to Constantinople with a few of his men they
would serve him, and seize Sultan Salim, and make him king. So
that simple man left his son Sultan Murad with his army, and set out
for Constantinople with five hundred horsemen. And Sultan Salim
met him with a large force; and sent'*an army against Sultan Murad,
who was overthrown, and took refuge with the Shah, in whose camp
he died a natural death.

This year, too, Amir Zakariyya, who had been for years Wazir
of the White Sheep Turkmans and of the Shah, died in Khurasan.

Amir Yar Ahmad of Isfahan, entitled Najm-i-sani, was indepen-
dent Wazir. Daily up to one hundred sheep were used in his kitchen,
and food was cooked in thirteen pots of pure silver. He was killed by
‘Ubayd Khan’s order.

Mawlana Bannai,(^®) whose name was Shir 'Ali, was versed in
Music and in Sufiism. In the days of Sultan Husayn Mirza, being
offended by Amir ‘Ali Shir he went to Adarbayjan to Sultan Ya^qub.
Thereafter he returned to Khurasan. But, angered again, he set out
for Samarqand, and served Sultan ‘Ali Mirza bin Sultan Ahmad bin
Sultan Abu Sa‘id, He satirized the men of Herat. When Shaybak
Khan conquered Samarqand he imprisoned Bannai. And, after the
death of Shaybak Khan, he served his son Timur Sultan. And he
was slain at Qarshi in the massacre commanded by Amir Kajm-i-sani.
Late in his life he made a study of the Diwan of Khwaja Hafiz of
Shiraz, and his pen name was Hali.

919. The coming of the U^ek Khans to Khurasan, and sending

of Khalil Sultan Zu'UQadar by the Shah, and the flight of the
Uzbeks to Bukhara ; second visit of the Shah to Khurasan.

This year on the third day of Muharram, and the first of the New
Year feast, a quarrel befell between ‘Ubayd Khan and Jani Beg, and

AHSANTj’T-TAWARiKH.

they departed from outside Herat to their own country. And Jani
Beg crossed the Oxus to Karmamya.(^) But in those days Timur
Sultan coming to this side of the river, joined ‘Ubayd Khan in the
coasts of Murghah, and forbad him to go to Bukhara. And they came
to Mashhad, and brought into subjection as far as Isfarain. And
when the news of it reached Herat, Husayn Beg Lai a and Ahmad
Beg Sufi Ughali left the city, and took the road by Tabas to Traq
and Adarbayjan. Then Timur Sultan, marching rapidly, reached
Herat, and camped in the Garden of Desire, and put to death many
Shi'as, and set his heart on ruling Klhurasan. But when this reached
the Shah, he set out for Khurasan from the city of Isfahan, with
a large army, against the Uzbeks. From Kalpush(^) summer quarters
Khalil Sultan Zu’l-Qadar was ^ent towards Mashhad. And when he
was yet a league off, ‘Ubayd Khan set out for Bukhara, and Timur
Sultan also fled towards Samarqand. So that, while the Shah was
still at Kalpush, no Uzbek was left in Khurasan. And after Timur
Sultan fled, Abul-Qasim Bakhshi, a well wisher of the Uzbek Sultans,
gathered together two thousand horse, and came from Badghis to
Herat ; and the citizens withstood him. And while they fought Piri
Sultto Rtimlu, in advance of the Royal army, came on the field with a
body of Ghazis, and killed about three hundred ill-omened Uzbeks. And
AbuT-Qasim fled towards Gharjistan. Then the Shah came from
Khabushan(^) to Ulang-i-Radkan, and took Dada Beg, Governor of
Marv, who had left Marv in fear of the Uzbeks and fled, and cut off
his beard, and put a kerchief on his head, and painted and pow-
dered his face, and mounted him backwards on an ass, and paraded
him through the camp, that others might be warned. Then the Royal
camp moved towards Badghis. And there it was seen how the men
of the country had wronged the Ghazis who fled from Najm Beg’s
battle, and had killed some. So a massacre was commanded, and
Ch5ha Sultan Takalu and a body of Ghazis were sent to slay those
fools ; and of them great and small were slain. And the Shah passed
that summer at Ulang-i-Baba Khaki and he sent Div Sultan to rule
over Balkh. Now the men of Andikhud had made a heretic man,
named Qara Buqal, their Governor, and they resisted. So Div Sultan
killed them, and sent Qara Buqal to the court. Also at this time
ShahrukhBeg Afshar,(^) by the Shah’s order making an expedition to
Qandahar, plundered that country, and returned safe and with booty
5

ahsanu’t-tawarikh .

to Court. And when the affairs of Khurasan were thus arranged as
the Shah desired, he gave the governorship of Herat to Zaynal Khan
Shamlu, and returned from Baba Khaki to Isfahan and passed the
winter in that city.

Sultan Sulaymani^) bin Sultan Haydar'^s rebellion against the Shah,

This winter Sayyid Sulayman bin Sultan Haydar showed himself
rebellious. And much people gathered together, saying that the Shah
had gone to Khurasan and was afar off ; and seizing this occasion,
Tabriz should be taken. Sayyid Sulayman, being beguiled by these
fools, and having acquired the means of rebellion, marched quickly on
Ta riz with a number of seditious persons. And when the Governor
heard of this he strengthened the wa3^ along with the citizens, and
let water run in the roads, so that it froze and horsemen could hardly
pass. Then Sulayman entered the Avenue with a host of men, but
the Tabrizis pierced the walls of the Avenue and fired on those
unfortunates and overthrew them. So Sulayman, in mighty chagrin,
set out for Ab-i-Shur, And the rabble came up with them at Shumb-i-
GhazEn,(®) and the Sulaymaniyyas, too, made ready for battle;
but the Tabriz! cutthroats plied their swords and unhorsed Sulayman.
But, still, he wounded sixteen men. Then Mantasha Sultan Ustajlu,
who was a qurchi, got to him, and slew him with his sword. .

This year Mawlana Sultan ‘Ali died — a greater penman than any
ancient or modern writer, greater even than Khwaja Mir ^Ali. Maw-
lana Jaffar and Mawlana Azhar cannot compare with him. Of
old it was Tahmuras(^) who invented writing. And the kinds of
writing(®) are these: — Hebrew, Barbar, Andalusian, Sayfi, Coptic,
Greek, Himyari, Syrian, Turkish, Kufic, Ma’qili, Hindi, Persian. Ibn
Muqla(®) was the inventor of Naskh and guls ; when they cut off his
hand, as is written in the sixth volume, he taught his daughter.
After this ‘Ali bin Bawwab(^^) made Muhaqqaq and Rayhan writing,
and wrote inscriptions. Then came Yaqut,(^^) the slave of Musta‘-
sim, the ‘Abbasi Khalifa; his life, too, is written in the seventh
volume. His pupils are called ‘the Six Professors.’ Shekhzada
Suhrawardi(^^) lived in Baghdad. Arghun(^^) was born in Persian
Traq, but lived in Baghdad. Then there was Pir Muhammad Sufi ;
and Mubarak Shah of the ‘ Golden Pen who was in the service of
Sultan XJways ; and Nasrullah the Doctor, who served Sultto Ahmad

AHSANTj’T-TAWARiKH.

Jala’ir; and Yusuf of Mashhad, the pupil of Yaqut, who lived at
Tabriz. And Sirafi was one of his pupils ; and Haj'i Muhammad(^^)
' Band duz ’ was Sirafi’s pupil. ' Abdullah the Physician lived in
Khurasan ; and ' Abdud-haqq of Sabzawar was his pupil. Mir 'Ali(^®)
of Tabriz began Nastadiq writing. Mawltoa 'Abdullah, son of Maw-
Itoa Sultan 'Ali, was a pupil of Mawlana Ja'far(^®) and a famous pen-
man. Mawltoa Azhar was a rare expert. And Sultan Namad
Khandan was a fine writer ; and so were Sultan Muhammad Abrisha-
mi, and Zaynu’d-din Mahmud, in 'Iraq and Khurasan. Mawlana
Mir 'Ali(^'^) excelled all former calligraphists. In the days of his youth
he copied writing with Zaynu’d-din Mahmud. And when he reached
perfection he oft-times contended with Mawlana Sultan 'Ali(^®). Men
took the side of the Mullah, pne day he came to the Mawlana, and
took three pieces ; and, having made a copy, put the copies among
the Mawlana’s pieces. The Mawlana marvelled, nor could he tell which
was his own ; but, after much thought, took up the Mullah Mir 'All’s.
Mawlana Mir 'All, at the end of his life, went to Bukhara, and was
cherished by 'Abdu'l-'aziz Sultto, son of 'Ubayd Khto. And there
he died. Among the pupils of the Mawlana was Khwaja Mahmud
Siawushani. But Mawlana Mir 'Ali, being angered with him, wrote a
satire against him.

Amir Sayyid Ahmad of Mashhad is a pupil of Mawlana Mir 'Ali.
Among other calligraphists are Qasim Shad! Shah, Mawlana 'Abdi
of Nayshapur, Mawlana Shah Mahmud, Mawlana Dust of Herat, Maw-
lana Rustam 'Ali, sister’s son to Ustad Bihzad, Hafiz Baba Jan of
Turbat. And Mawlana Malik of Qazwin was the chief of calligraph-
ists in Shah Tahmasp’s time ; he wrote all scripts well. He was in
science the pupil of Mawlana Jamalu’d-din Mahmud of Shiraz. The
humble writer of this chronicle read notes on the Shamsiyya with
him.

This year Amir Isma'il of Shumb-i-Ghazan died. He studied with
Mawltoa 'Ali Qushchi. And, after the Mawlana went to Turkey, he
went to Shiraz, and attended the lectures of the great Mawlana
Jalalu’d-din Muhammad. He lived sixty-nine years, and amongst
his works is a note on stones in rings.

The birth of Shah Tahmasp,

The twenty-sixth day of the month Zi’l-hijja, on Wednesday,
Tahmasp was born in the village of Shahabad under Isfahan. The

68 A^SAJS-Tj’T-TAWAEiKH.

Chiefs and Ministers brought presents, and there were feasts for several
days.(”)

A.H. 920, The ivar(^) of the Shah with Sultan Salim,

Now this was the cause of the quarrel : When Khan Muhammad
Ustajlu conquered Diyarbakr, and oft-times broke the Zu’l-Qadar army
with but few men, and his officer Dalv Duraq, with seventy horse and
three hundred foot, overcame Sultto Qtosu King of Egypt — a monarch
famed for bravery — his pride passed all bounds, and he wrote
threatening letters to Sultan Salim, and provoked him to battle.
Moreover he sent him things, such as a woman’s head dress. And
another cause was the ruin wrought by Nur 'Ali Khalifa Rumlu, and
his burning of Tuqat. So the Sultai^ set his heart on war, and he
gathered together men from Qaraman, Anatolia, Mantasha, Karmiyan
Ili, Kaffa, Trebizond, Semendra, Wallachia, Bosnia, Morea, and Serbia,
and collected a great host of warriors, and relentless arms beyond
what the imagination can picture, or the pen describe. So two hundred
thousand horse and foot marched on Arzinjan, and a messenger was
sent to the Shah’s Court to declare war. The courier reached the
Shah at Hamadan, and told of the Sultan’s making war. And His
Majesty answered, saying that he too was ready for war, and stood
firm wheresoever they might meet. And he let the envoy go, and
sent a man to Diyarbakr to call Khan Muhammad Ustajlu with the
Diyarbakr troops with all speed. And His Majesty and his warriors
turned to battle. And when they reached Tabriz news came that
Sultto Salim, fearing nought, was marching towards them. So the
Shah turned against the foe, and in the beginning(^) of the month Rajab
the two armies met at Chaldiran, which is twenty leagues from Tabriz.
And the way of the Turkish Sultans is this, that at the time of battle
they strengthen their army with guns and chains, making thus a
strong fortress to protect themselves. And within it the gunmen
fire guns and cannon and muskets, and over the cannon in the form
of a dragon they place big and small mortars. And they have such
skill and power in firing their guns that they can hit the indivisible
atom a mile away. Khan Muhammad Ustajlu and Nur 'Ali Khalifa
Rumlu, and certain men who knew the ways of the Turks, were in-
stant that they should attack above Chaldiran before the enemy could
protect himself. But Durmish Khan Shamlu rejected their counsel,

AHSANTj’T-TAWARiKH.

and said to Khan Muhammad, “ Thy overlordship is in Diyarbakr ” ;
and he said that they should wait till they showed what they could
do, and then should they enter the field, and destroy them. And
the Shah approved his words. And Sultan Salim came down from
the heights of Chaldiran, and strengthened his army, and made a
barrier of guns and chains. And he appointed twelve thousand
Janissaries to stand before the line, and entrusted the right and left
wings to famous Pashas — Sinan Pasha, Mustafa Pasha (known as
Bighlu Chatish), Farhad Pasha, Qaracha Pasha ZuT-Qadar Ughali, and
'All Beg, the son of Shahsuwar Beg. And he put Mai Ghuch Ughali
in the advance guard, and made Mahal Ughali leader of the flank,
and sent more than a hundred thousand paid horsemen into the
field.

And the Shah mounted his horse, and chose his ground with his
famous Chiefs — Durmish Khan Shamlu, Khalil Sultan Zu’l-Qadar,
Husayn Beg Lala, Nur 'Ali Khalifa Rumlu, Khulafa Beg, Khan
Muhammad and Chayan Sultan Ustajlu with the army of Diyarbakr.
And it was settled that Amir 'AbduT-baqi, Sayyid Muhammad
T^muna, and Amir Sayyid Sharif, should take the centre. And they
made S aru Pira Qurc hibashi, with his Ghazis, the advance guard;
and His Majesty, with a party of qurchis, waited in reserve, thinking
to join whosoever might be pressed. And the Qizilbash army drew
up over against the Turks. Then Saru Pira, with the advanced force
charged the Turks, and bore down their forward men and drove them
on the flanks, till Mahal Ughali, their leader, charged and turned the
Persians back. And the Shah’s anger kindled as he beheld the prowess
of the Turks, and he charged with his braves. Now Mai Ghuch
Ughali came over against His Majesty, and opened his mouth to
boast. But before his hand could ply arrow, or bow, or sword, or
spear, the Shah smote him with his sword, so that he cleft helmet
and head down to the neck. And the enemy never had seen such
might, and fear got hold of them, and they fled to their centre. And
the Qizilbash right charged the Turkish left, where was the brave
Sinan Pasha ; and they drove them from the heights of Chaldiran, so
that the day became black for Sultan Salim. But the Turkish army
charged again, and overthrew the Qizilbash left, and threw the
centre into disorder. And the Shah and his advance guard, too, were
turned back by musketry. His Majesty made rivers of blood to flow,

Al^S AKU’T-TAWAKiKH ,

even as the Jaxartes and the Oxus; and the Ghazis that day charged
up to the guns. But the Janissaides drove them back with their
guns and musket fire. And about a thousand Janissaries were on a
height hard by the Qizilbash army ; they, too, drove back the Ghazis
with their muskets.

And all that morning, from dawn to noon, the battle raged.
Seven times His Majesty reached the guns, and beat against the
chains. But the foe turned him back, and gathered around His
Majesty, and surrounded him, though, wheresoever he attacked, he
left a heap of dead. And Mantasha Sultan Ustajlu and all the
qurchis fought notably. And the Shah commanded the bugle to be
blown, and three hundred horsemen gathered around him. So they
ceased to attack, and reached the companies that had broken the
centre, and broke their ranks and sallied forth. At that time His
Majesty’s horse fell into the black water, and Khizr Agha Ustajlu
brought his horse, and the Shah mounted and set forth. Then the
Turkish army caught Sultan ‘Ali Mirza Afshar, and thought that he
was the Shah, and took him to Sultan Salim. And they slew him,
when they found he was another. Then the Qizilbash right, which
had broken the Turkish left, and gone behind them, ^returned and
bravely attacked the centre of Sultan Salim, and left the field. And
Sultan Salim commanded that his men should not pursue, nor plunder ;
for it might be a feigned flight. And the night was at hand when
they found that none remained of the Qizilbash host.

In this battle died Khan Muhammad Ustajlu, Saru Pira Qurchi-
bashi, Husayn Beg Lala, Amir ‘Abdu’l-baqi, Sayyid Muhammad
Kamuna, and Amir Sayyid Sharif ; and, on both sides, five thousand
men, three thousand being of the Turks. And the Shah marched(^)
to Darjuzin ; and Sultto Salim to Tabriz, where the leaders of the city
met him. And Sultan Salim honoured them, and he saw with his own
eyes what his fathers and forefathers had conceived to be impossible.
Then, first, he went to the Mosque of Hasan Padshah in the square of
Sahibabad, and prayed. It is said that where the King’s name comes
in the Khutba the Khatib uttered Isma^il’s name. So the Turks
desired to put him to death ; but Sultan Salim fo^rbad them, saying
that his tongue was accustomed to this. Pity it was, he said, that
three Sayyids of high degree had been martyred in the battle of
Chaldiran. And after eight days fear overcame him, and at the end

a^sanxj’t-tawarikh.

of the month he set off to go back to Turkey, and wintered at
Amasia. And, when the Shah heard of this at Darjuzm, he set out
for Tabriz ; and in the month of Sha^ban he camped there, and made
it his winter quarters.

The ivar of Burun Sultan and Khwaja Muza'ffar BitikcM with
Muhammad Zamdn Mlrza.

This year Muhammad Zaman Mirza, son of BadPu’z-zaman, left
the ShS^h’s camp and went to Astarabad. Pir Ghayb Beg Tahsh, the
Governor, was overthrown, and Mlrza Muhammad Zaman set himself
up in x^starabad. Then Burun Sultan Takalu, Governor of Isfarain,
with Khwaja Muzaffar BitikcbJ , marched against him. Now', when
Sultan Salim came to Tabriz, many reports were spread, and the
Chiefs doubted. But when they reached the village of Khilzashah
Qara Uways Qurchi__Warsaq came from court, and brought news of
Sultan Salim’s return. And the Chiefs were content, and set out for
Jurjan, where they fought with and overcame Muhammad Zaman
Mirza, who left for Gharjistan. And the Governor of that province
joined him.

Miscellaneous events.

This year there was a famine in Khurasan, and, above all, in
Herat, so sore that men ate one another; and Zaynal Khan, the
Governor, punished these eaters of men. In this year also the Shah
made Chayan Sultan Ustajlu Amiru’l-umara, and bestowed the
superintendence of the state offices on Mirza Shah Husayn of Isfahan.
And he gave the post of Sadarat to 'Abdullah Lala, a leader of the
^darbayjan Sayyids. TJutTi^ 30 uld not do this work ; therefore it
was given to Amir Jamalu’d-din Muhammad of Astarabad. And
Diyarbakr was given to Qara Beg, brother of Khto Muhammad ; and
he was made a Khan.

Deaths.

Sultan Murad bin Ya'qub Padshah. When the Shah set out for
Baghdad Barik Purnak took Murad away to Syria, and for some time
he lived under the protection of Sultan Qansu. Thence he went to
'Ala’u’d-dawla Zu’bQadar, and married his daughter, from whom he
had two sons, Hasan and Ya'qub. And he joined Sultan Salim, when
the Sultan went to war with the Shah, and desired to go with him to
fight. But his officers thought it not meet, and he left the Sultan

AIISANtr’T-TAWAIliKH.

and went towards Diyarbakr. But when he reached Adrafa Qaracha
Sultan Qajar, the Shah’s Governor, notwithstanding the fewness of his
men, and remembering the text ‘ how a great body was conquered by
a few stood against him, and prevailed and slew him, and sent his
head and ring to the Royal Court. So Qaracha Sultan, who with
eight hundred horsemen had defeated eight thousand, was called
Qudurmish Sultan. And the Sultans of the White Sheej) Turkmans
came to an end with the death of Sultan Murad. Thirteen men of
the White Sheep were Kings, namely: — Qara Usman, 'Ali Beg, Sultan
Hamza, Jahangir Mirza (these four were rulers of Diyarbakr) ; Hasan
Padshah, Sultan Khalil, Ya'qub Padshah, Baysunqur Mirza, Rustam
Beg, Ahmad Beg, Muhammadi Mirza, Alwand Mirza, Sultan Murad.
Independently they reigned one hundred and one years . Besides this
Barik Purnak was Governor of x^rabian Traq for five years and a little,
and was with Sultan Salim at the battle of Chaldiran. And after
that he had returned from Adarbayjan, he became blind, and soon
after he died. The countries of the White Sheep Turkman Sultans
were Arabian Traq, Persian Iraq, Pars, Kirman, and Adarbayjan.

Badi'u’z-zaman Mirza(^) lived for a time in the Shah’s camp,
and then by order he lived at Ray, and went, without asking leave,
to Astarabad, and was defeated by Shaybak Khan’s officers, and
went to India, and lived in that country two years. And again
in Khurasan he came to the Shah, and was honourably maintained ;
and it was ordered that he should live in Shumb-i-Ghazan of Tabriz.
And every day a thousand dinars were given him for his expenses.
The year that Sultan Salim came to Tabriz he dealt kindly with
Badi'u’z'zaman, and took him with him. But after four months he
died of plague.

Amir ‘Abdu’l-baqi was of the family of Shah Kuru’-d-din
Ni’matullah(®) of Kirman. He was distinguished for his letters and
style above his fellows. He was Sadr in the early days of the Shah ;
but, later. His Majesty took independent control of all administrative
matters. He was killed this year.

Malik Mahmud Jan of Daylam, one of the chief Qazwin families,
was for some time Wazir of Ya'qub Padshah, and then of the Shah.
He died this year.

Khalil Sultan Zu’hQadar.(®) He committed some fault in the
Turkish war, and the Shah appointed blind Sulayman Qurchi to put

ahsanu’t-tawarikh.

an end to him. When blind Sulayman came to Shiraz, and saw
many men with Khalil, he spoke in his ear quietly, saying that the
Shah’s command was that he should beat him with twelve strokes,
and then return; if this were done at a public feast the honour of
Khalil would be broken. It would be better that they should go
to a private place, so that he could carry out the Shah’s command
and return to Court. So Khalil Sultan came to his house ; and
blind Sulayman went after him and showed him the order for his
death, which he had brought. And Khalil Sultan withstood him
not, but fell on his knees. And blind Sulayman smote him on the
neck, and took his head, and left the house, and set out for the
Court. And the Shah gave the governorship of Shiraz to ‘Ali Beg
Zu’l-Qadar. ,

Amir Sayyid Sharif of Shiraz was a grandson of Amir Sayyid
Sharif ‘Allama. He was Sadr of the Shah for some time, and he
strove to spread the true faith, and reduce those who followed the
path of error. This year he was slain, as has been written.

A.H. 921, SuUan Salimas capture of the fort of Kamahh.i^)

This year Sultan Salim marched on the fort of Kamakh. And
Yusuf Beg Warsaq, Commandant of the fort on behalf of the Shah,
left there his officer Muhammad Beg Warsaq with three hundred men
and went to Court, Then Sultan Salim camped with a great host
near the fort, and sent messengers to the Ghazis saying that, putting
their trust in his Royal favour, they should open the gates, and
should live in his camp unharmed. But the Warsaq asked how they
could think it right, because their lord had met with a small defeat,
to forget their duty to him, and hand over, like traitors, the fort with
which they had been trusted. So the messengers reported to Sultan
Salim what they had heard. And his anger was kindled, and he
mounted his horse ; and about a hundred thousand horsemen set out,
till they came before the fort. And the Janissaries were commanded
to fight ; and the Turkish army assaulted ; and a body of Janissaries
came up a hill hard by the fort, and fired on the men of the citadel.
The Warsaq Ghazis and warriors plied arrows and stones. But the
Turks made the towers level with the ground, and captured the fort
by force. Then the Ghazis took refuge in the mosque. And the
Turks advanced against them, and the Warsaqs, drawing their swords,

A^SAlSTTj’T-TAWARiKH.

came out of the mosque and fought, till all died like men. And
Sultan Salim entrusted the fort to his own men, and set forth against
'Ala’u’d-dawla Zu’l-Qadar.

The war of Ilustafa Pasha, {^) Blghlu Chavsh, with Nfir ^All
Khalifa Rumltt.

This year Mustafa Pasha, Governor of Trebizond on behalf of
Sultan Salim, advanced with a great army on Arzinjan. And when
Nur ‘Ali Khalifa knew of this, he raised his standard with Muham-
mad Beg Ayqut Ughali. And, near Chamishguzik,(^) Bighlu ChMsh
with his forces appeared. Nur 'Ali Khalifa, with eight hundred
horse, attacked the Turkish centre of more than ten thousand, and
killed many. But in the end the Turks prevailed, and killed Nur 'Ali
Khalifa. But Ayqut Ughali escaped unhurt.

Miscellaneous events.

This year Div Sultan Rumlu came to court from Balkh, with a
box full of spear heads taken from horses and men in conflicts with
the Uzbeks, whom he had overthrown in all his battles. And he
showed that Khurasan had now no master. So the Shah bestowed
the rule over Khurasan, from the confines of Samnan to the river
Oxus, on Prince Tahmasp. And he made Amir Khan Turkman(^)
his guardian.

Deaths.

‘Ala’u’d-dawla ZuT-Qadar. His doings were founded on deceit
and fraud. Whensoever the envoys of the Turkish Sultan came to
him, he would dress his officers in Egyptian clothes, and bring them
to the meeting. And he would say that they were ambassadors
from Egypt, bringing many gifts. To the Turkish envoys he would
say that they had done much harm. To the Turks he would pretend
that he was the Turkish Sultan’s man, and was tired of the Egyptians.
And he behaved to the Egyptian Sultan’s envoy in like manner.
Thus he took much money from both sides, and was wont to say that
he had two fowls — one that laid a golden egg, and the other a silver —
meaning the Sultans of Turkey and Egypt. This year Sultan Salim,
having a mind to fight the Shah, gathered large stores in 'Ala’u’d-
dawla’s lands. And ‘Ala’u’d-dawla, thinking them a free present to
himself, plundered them. But he forgot that to play with an
elephant’s trunk, or scratch with a thorn the forehead of a snake, is

a^jsakxj’t-tawaeikh.

75 *

to bring on one’s own destruction. He raised up the dust of trouble,
as does a wind, and brought ruin on his own head. For, when
Sultan Salim heard of this robbery, leaving aside his plans on Adar-
bayjto, he set forth for Mar^ash. And ‘Ala’u’d-dawla, since he could
not withstand him fled to Mount Duma. Then the Sultan sent Sinan
Pasha after him with forty thousand horse. The Turkish advance force
came up with him in the hills. And ‘Ala’u’d-dawla, with his son
Sulayman Beg, came out of ambush and attacked the Turks ; but
the Zu’l-Qadar men were overthrown, and some soldier killed ‘Ala’-
u’d-dawla, and brought his head to Sinan Pasha, and Sinan Pasha
sent it to the Sultan. The Sultan asked the man, who had cut oS his
head, what rank he desired. And the fool answered that he desired
his master’s rank. Now his :giaster was a common man. So they
made the master a Pasha, and gave the master’s rank to the man.

And Sultan Salim conquered all the Zu’l-Qadar country. And
some of the Zu’l-Qadar tribe took up the Sultan’s service, and some
went to the Shah, and others to Sultan Qansu. Thus the Zu’l-Qadar
kings came to an end. In books of history we have found four(^)
of them who ruled — Malik Aslan, Sulayman, Nasiru’d-din, ‘Ala’u’d-
dawla. Their country was Mar^ash and Albistan. And there were
eighty thousand Zu’l-Qadar households.

Khwaja Asafi(®) son of Khwaja Ni^matullah was a man of
Quhistto, who for some time worked as Wazir to Sultan Abu Sa'id.
On 16th Sha^ban he died.

Mawlana Nizam Astarabadi’s('^) lips were sealed in death this
year. Among his works are Bilqis and Sulayman, and a diwan of
qasidas.

Mawlana Riyazi(®) of Sawa also died this year, aged more than
eighty years ; among his works is a history of Sultan Husayn Mirza.

A,H. 92S. The war of Bighlu with Qara Khan Ustajlu{^)

Now when the Shah gave the governorship of Diyarbakr to
Qara Khan, the Khan dwelt at Mardin, and entrusted his affairs to
Ahmad Chalabi. But Ahmad Chalabi did not pay the Amid revenues
to Qara Khan, and the Khan attacked him. So Ahmad sent an
envoy to Bighlu Chaush asking him to come straightway. Then
Bighlu Chaush hasted ; and, when he arrived, Ahmad met him, and
gave him the keys of the fort ; and Bighlu Chaush dwelt at Amid,.

AHS ANU’t-TAW ARIKH .

Then Qara Khan, with his warriors, marched against the town. And
when he arrived there, the citizens had joined with the Turks and
hastened out of the gate to shoot and ply their swords ; nor did they
let the Ghazis enter the fort. So the Khan, despairing of their siding
with him, took the parts round about, and stopped supplies from
going to the city. And Bighlu ChaQsh sent from the fort five thousand
horse to fight. But Qara Khan attacked them, and prevailed, so
that not a man of them was unhurt, but the Khan slew them and
went with victory to his own camp. And after some days news came
that Bighlu Chaush had gathered together twenty-four thousand
horse and foot, and had left Amid. Therefore Qara Khan left his
camp, and went up against Bighlu Chaush’s army, and arrayed his
forces in Quruq-i-Sar-i-Mardin.(^) And Qudurmish Sultan too urged
him, saying they should give the foes of the Safawi House no longer
respite, but destroy them with the sword. Howbeit at that time a
qurchi came from the Shah with a command not to fight till help
came. And all his men too were against haste. But the Khan chose
the counsel of Qudurmish. So next day he raised his standard, and
arrayed his right and left wings. So also did Bighlu Chaush ; more-
over he stationed his guns before his army, and bound them with
chains, and strengthened himself with camels. And first the Ghazis
charged, and broke the foe’s right and left, bearing them on to the
centre. But the Turks, having no way of escape, were forced to
fight. It is said that many of the Turks that day left their horses
and trod on one another’s shoulders. And from the heaps of slain
horsemen could not pass, nor foot soldiers. So the Chiefs told the
Pasha that they were thrown into confusion, and the time to fight
was past, and they should flee. But Bighlu Chaush hearkened not to
their words, but heartened his men. And they charged again, and
again were driven back on the centre by the Ghazis. And Bighlu
Chaush turned from the field ; but a musket, fired at a venture,
killed the Khan, and the Ghazis lost heart and fled. And Bighlu
ChaQsh sent a swift courier to Sultan Salim and took Diyarbakr.

The war{^) of Sultan Salim with Sultan Qdnsu of Egypt
and Syria, and Qdnsu* s defeat

This year Sultto Q^nsu marched from Egypt on Aleppo. And
Khayr Beg, the Amiru’l-umara of Aleppo, feared Sultan Qansu, and

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH,

sent messengers to Sultan Salim, saying that if the Sultan would
come he would essay to conquer ‘Arabistan, and would be a faithful
servant all his days. And Sultan Salim, having ordered the conquest
of ‘Arabistan, commanded the armies of his empire, from the borders
of Europe to the Qizilbash country, to be gathered together at Ama-
sia with equipment and guns. And then he marched towards Aleppo.
And Sultan Qansu also prepared for war with a great army, and
camped at the Shrine of David(^) — on whom be peace. Then Sultan
Salim came up to the encampment of his enemy. And he sent in
front a body to protect the army ; so also scouts went from the hosts
of the King of Egypt to watch.

Now when it was morning Sultan Salim arrayed his men, and sent
Qaracha Pasha Qaramani(^) ^o the right, and Sinan Pasha ZuT-
Qadar and ‘All Beg, son of Shahsuwar, to the left ; and arrayed his
line with guns and gun carriages. And Janissaries stood in five lines
behind one another, and before the gun carriages. And Sultan Qansu
also arrayed his lines, and he appointed Khayr Beg to the left, and
Jan Virdi Ghazali, Governor of Emessa and Hama, to the right; and
himself stood in the centre. Thus these two warrior Kings stood
over against one another. Then about a hundred men came up a
height hard by to see the army of Salim, and Qaracha Pasha sent
five or six guns against them, whereby four were killed and the rest
fled. And Jan Virdi Ghazali, with a company of Arab braves,
attacked the Turkish right, and Qaracha Pasha hastened to with-
stand them. And, shaken by the might of the Egyptians, the Turkish
left was broken, and the Egyptians came behind Sultan Salim’s
centre. And they cast from their horses about five or six thousand
men, who went on foot to Sultan Salim’s centre. Again, Jan Virdi
Ghazali came from behind the left wing, and overthrew three thou-
sand horsemen ; and the Turks fled till they came before the Sultan.
And the Egyptian slaves, pursuing after them, came over against the
Sultan’s guard, and the Janissaries scattered them with musketry ;
and hill and dale were made alike by Circassian limbs and bodies.

Now, when Sultan Salim saw his two wings overthrown, he heart-
ened his Janissaries and commanded them to fire, and his guard
moved against Sultan Qansu, and broke his centre with their guns and
musketry. So Sultan Qansu withdrew from the battle and fled, and
the Turks pursued, and slew many. And they found Sultan Qansu

A^SANTj’T-TA-WABiKH.

■dead on the field, but saw no wound on him. And the Turkish army
took great booty and plunder. And Sultan Salim went to Aleppo.
Then the chief men of the country came out of the fort, and gave the
keys of the treasury and of the gates and hoards to Sultan Salim’s
agents. It is a strange thing(*) that the writer of the Habibu’s-siyar,
though he lived in that time, has written that Sultan Qansu died a
natural death, and Sultan Salim conquered the country without fight-
ing. But the writer, Hasan-i-Rumlu, has seen more than ten warriors,
who were present at the battle, and he asked of them about it ; and
it was even as has been written.

Muhammad Zaman Mlrzoda conquest of Balhh.

This year Muhammad Zaman Mir*a, with Amir Urdu Shah, came
outside Balkh and besieged it. Then Muhammad Baharlu,(^) Div
Sultan’s ofl&cer, strengthened the ramparts. After some months, on
a Saturday, Khwaja Haydar ‘Ali and the headmen opened the
'Akkasha(®) gate to Muhammad Zaman MirzB. So he entered the
city, and Muhammad Baharlu was besieged in the citadel. But after
two days he made terms, and came out and yielded. At that time,
too, Amir Khan Muhammad QBsim came to MirzB Muhammad ZamBn
from Shiburghan with gifts, and submitted. And Amir Urdu Shah
gave the governorship of Balkh to his brother QiwBm Beg. And
thereby Muhammad Zaman Mirza was angered, and their friendship
was changed to dissension.

The Shah spends the winter at Nakhchiwan, and Div Sultan
goes to Oeorgia.(^)

This year there was war in Georgia between Qurqura(^®) and
Minuchihr. And Qurqura fled to the Shah, and told him of the affairs
of Georgia and of the victory of the froward men. And the Royal
favour was given to ^Minuchihr, and Div Sultan Rumlu, Charkan
Hasan Takalu,(^^) NBrin Beg Qajar, QazBq BegRQmlQ, and Hasan Beg
Chota, were commanded to make all haste and set out, and to strive
to clear the land of Georgia of that wicked man. So the Chiefs set
out for Aq Shahr(’'^) by way of Shura Gil. And they came round that
city like a sudden calamity. And, when Minuchihr saw it, his heart

^ So in the text, but Minuchihr appears to be an error for Qurqura.

AHSANTj’T-TAWSEiKH.

■was consumed, and he set out for the village of Dil with the Georgian
Chiefs, and sent couriers to Div Sultan to speak of peace. The Chiefs
put his couriers to death, and made expedition against him. And
when they reached the village, Minuchihr fled to Turkey, and the
Chiefs camped at the fort of TumQk,(^®) which is a fort on a hill in
the midst of a deep valley. Then the Ghazis unfurled their flag, and
drew their swords, and surrounded the fort. And for fourteen days
between the Georgians and the Ghazis there was fighting, till the
army of Islam pierced the water reservoir of the fort, and the heathen
were forced to go to Div Sultan. Arzbanir, Minuchihr’s agent, came
out of the fort with fitting tribute and presents. And Div Sult&n
gave the rule over Georgia to Qurqura, and returned. In this expedi-
tion Div Sultan put Charkan Hasan to death.

Miscellaneous events.

This year the Shah spent the winter at Tabriz. Prince Tahmasp
arrived at Herat, and stayed in the City Garden, and cherished the
people with his just rule. By His Highness’ grace there was a
plenteous harvest this year.

Deaths.

Mawlana ‘Abdullah Marwarld(^^) was in his youth in the service
of Sultan Husayn Mlrza, till he reached the rank of Sadarat. Later
he joined the ranks of the Chiefs, and attached the seal on behalf of
Mir ‘All Shir. When Sultan Husayn Mlrza died, he went into retire-
ment ; and this year he died. His works were : — A diwan of qasidas
and odes ; Ta’rikh-i-Shahi ; Munshat ; a History in verse ; Khusraw
and Shirin.

Sultan Qansu GhQri(^®) was a learned man, and a friend of
savants. At his death the rule of the Circassian Sultans came to an
end. There were eighteen Kings of this race, namely : — ‘Izzu’d-din
Beg; Malik Mansur; Sultan Kuduz; Banduqdar; Malik Sa‘id
Muhammad ; Salamish ; Malik Manshr ; Malik Ashraf ; Malik Qahir ;
Malik ‘Adil; KidbOqa; Husamu’d-din Lajin; Sultan Nasir; Sultan
BarqOq ; Sultan Faraj ; Malik Chaqmaq ; Sultan Qaytbay ; Nasir
Yusufi ; Sultan Qansu Ghuri. Tumani Beg struggled, but he could
do nothing. Their countries were Egypt, and Syria, and Aleppo ;
and in Mecca and Medina the coinage was in their names. Their
dynasties lasted for two hundred and seventy-five years.

AHS^^NU’T-TAWAIliKH.

A.H. 928, Sultan Salim's expedition to Egypt and Syria, and Ms
victory over Tumani Beg, and his conquest of the country.

This year Sultto Salim set out for Damascus, and the citizens
surrendered the town, and received the Royal favour. On Friday
the Khutba was read in the Mosque of the Bani Umayya(^) in the
Sultan’s name. Then the Sultan loaded many camels with water,
and set out for Egypt. And, when he reached the confines of that
country, he heard that the Chiefs of Egypt had made Tumani Beg,(^)
sister’s son to Sultan Qansu, their King. Then Sultan Salim inspect-
ed his army, and the equipment of the Pashas ; and he marched on
Egypt, and camped near Cairo. And Tumani Beg arrayed a vast
host of warriors against him, with guns before the army. Now
Ramazan Ughali, one of the chief nobles, advised that they should
fight behind closed gates, but Tumani Beg hearkened not, but dreAv
up over against Sultan Salim. And a slave from the Egyptian army
fled to the Sultan, and warned him of the guns prepared against him.
So the Sultan came from the rear, and took them with gun and mus-
ket fire. And, as the Egyptians had not mounted their guns on
swivels, they could not turn them. And they fled, and Sultan Salim
took their guns, and came over against the city. And the headmen
and leaders came out of the fort, supplicating and asking for quarter.
And Sultan Salim forgave them, and sent Sinan Pasha with a body
of braves inside the city to protect it. But in the middle of the
night the slaves and Arabs attacked him, and after a struggle over-
came him, and killed him with eight hundred Slaves. But the rest of
the Chiefs fought like men, and carried his body out of the city. Then
Sultan Salim went into the city himself, and stayed there while the
Janissaries with loaded muskets were ready to fight. And Sultan
Salim took the chief men, and put many fco death. And the Egypt-
ians said they repented for what they had done, and begged forgive-
ness, and promised loyal service. And he gave certain of them
» dresses of honour and cheered them. But, when the Slaves despaired
of the help of the people, they left the city by night, and set out for
Abyssinia and Zanzibar. Thus the Sultan wintered there in peace.
And in the spring Tumani Beg came from Abyssinia to Egypt. When
Sultto Salim heard of this he sent Qaracha Pasha to meet him in the
way. And, when they fought, the Slaves were defeated, and Tumani
Beg was taken captive, and he tasted death at the hand of vengeance.

Ai^SAKTj’T-TAWARiKH.

And all Egypt, and Syria, and Aleppo, and Hijaz, came under the
power of Sultan Salim. The kingdom of Egypt he gave to Khayr
Beg, and the governorship of Syria to Jan Virdi Ghazali, who had
left the Egyptians and taken service. Thus, with pride and mighty
plunder, he set out for Constantinople.

The going of the Chiefs to Oharjistdn,{^) and the defeat of Mlrzd
Muhammad Zamdn,

This year Muhammad Zaman Mirza put Urdu Shah to death.
Qiwam Beg, brother of Urdu Shah, made strong the battlements of
Balkh, and sent many messengers to Kabul, and called for help from
Babur Padshah. So His Majesty set out for Balkh. Qiwam Beg
handed over the fort and ci^ to his officers, and repaired to the
Royal camp. And Babur, with a body of brave men, made expedi-
tion against Mirza Muhammad Zaman, and captured his family. And
Mirz§. Muhammad in grief set out for Gharjistan. The Governor of that
Province, Amir Shah Sayfu’l-muluk, and Khwaja Ghiyasu’d-din 'Ali
went out to meet him, and obeyed him. After two days Babur
arrived at Aq Gumbad. But, since the whole of Gharjistan was on
the side of Mirza Muhammad Zaman, Babur could not enter the hill
country ; therefore he set out for Kabul by way of Piruz Ktih a^id
Ghur. Now, when Prince Tahmasp heard of the coming of Muhammad
Zaman Mirza to Gharjistan, he sent against that Prince Ibrahim
Sultan(^) of Mawsil and Ahmad Sultan Afshar, with an army. And the
Ghazis came up with the rebels. Then Mirza Muhammad Zaman and
Sayfu’l-muluk thought it fit to betake themselves to strong defiles.
But certain of the men of Mughul Qanchi(^) said they would die
there, and they got ready for battle. But the Royal army overcame
these bad men, and Mirza Muhammad Zaman set out for Sto and
Charyak. And the Chiefs returned to Herat, safe and with booty.
And Babur Padshah’s Governor of Balkh, Amir Beg, with Ibrahim
Jaliq, went after Muhammad Zaman, who fought with a hundred of
his men. His enemies unhorsed him, and one of the Mughul men
would have killed him ; but Muhammad Zaman Mirza told him his
name, and that man mounted him on his horse and took him to
Amin Beg, who sent him to Kabul. And Babur Padshah made a
covenant with him, and gave him the governorship of Balkh, and his
daughter in marriage, and after three months sent him with a
6

a^sanu’t-tawSrIkh.

squadron and foot soldiers to Balkh. And then, led on by foolish
men, be fell to drinking the red wine, and neglected the affairs of
his province.

Miscellaneous events.

This year the Shah wintered at Nakhchiwan, And Minuchihr
came back from Turkey with Qizil Ahmad Ughali. And he and all
the Turks were slain. And Div Sultan, who was in those regions,
plundered Dawlll and returned to Chukhur S'ad.

A.H, 924,

This year the Shah heard that the Ruler of Mazandaran, Agha
Muhammad Ruzafzun, had rebelled. So he commanded that Dur-
mish Khan Shamlu(^) should go to Mazandaran with a body of braves.
And Durmish Khan set out with a mighty host. When Agha Muham-
mad knew of their coming he strengthened the forts of Awlad and
Kills. On the fifteenth of the month ZiT-hijja the Ghazis surrounded
Kills, and in three days took it by assault, and went from thence to
Awlad. Qazi-i-Jahan, by the Khan’s order, went inside the fort,
and brought out Agha Muhammad on terms. And by God’s grace
the Khan proceeded to Sari, whence the Governor, Amir 'Abdu’l-
karim, by reason of his fear, sent his son, Sayyid Sultan Muhammad
with two thousand TabrizI tumans to the Khan. And at the same
time Sayyid Husayn Hazarjarlbl, and the Rulers of Rustamdar, Malik
Kaus and Malik Bahman, came to the Khan’s court with much
tribute; and, being received honourably, returned to their own
country.

Miscellaneous events.

This year the Shah wintered at Tabriz. Shekh Shah, King of
Shirwan, Amira Dubbaj,(^) King of Resht, and Kar Kiya Sultan
Ahmad of Lahijan, came to the Court. And Amira Dubbaj was given
the title of Muzaffar Sultan. Qurqura, Ruler of Georgia, also came
to Court, and the Shah sent Div Sultan back with him to Georgia.
And Div Sultan conquered the forts of Luri and Suram.

Deaths.

Mawlana 'Ala’ud-din, the Physician, died of pneumonia.

A,H, 925.

This year the Shah sent Ibrahim Sultan Mawsilu to ravage
Gharjistan. And, when Amir Shah Muhammad knew of his army’s

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

coming, he prepared for siege in the fort of Kashti-i-nur, and sent
Amir Ja'far 'Ali to Ibrahim Sultan, and begged that the province be
given to him. But Ibrahim put him to death. After three days he
attacked. And the brave Siwar Ughali mounted on the battlement.
But Shah Muhammad Sayfu’l-muluk, with some poor men, left the
fort, and fled to Maymana ; and Ibrahim Sultan destroyed the fort,
and set out for Herat.

A,H. 926.

This year Babur Padshah(^) marched to Qandahar, and Shuja‘
Beg, being besieged in the fort, ordered his men to fight. But Babur’s
officers prevailed, and drove them to the gates. So Shuja' Beg sent
couriers to Herat to Amir Khan, and prayed for help. And Amir
Khan sent envoys to Babur, •with a message that Shuja' Beg had
repented, though once he had rebelled, and promised that hereafter
he would be loyal ; it would be right for His Majesty to abandon the
siege and return to Kabul. But Babur answered that, after he
took Qandahar, he would send Shuja‘ Beg to Prince Tahmasp, who
might give Qandahar to whomsoever he chose. And he strove to
conquer Qandahar, and the siege continued for well nigh three years.
And it went hard with the besieged, and they were sore pressed. And
in the next year, when Durmish Khan came to Herat as Governor,
he sent Muzaffar Beg, his officer, to Babur Padshah, and begged him
to march from Qandahar, and go to Kabul. So Babur marched
from Qandahar and set out for his own country. And Shuja‘ Beg,
entrusting Qandahar to his oflflcer Mawlana Baqi, set out for
Khurasan. But the Mawltoa forgot his duty to Shuja* Beg, and
sent and called Babur Padshah. And Babur returned, and took
possession of Qandahar, and gave it to his son, Kamran Mirza.

This year the Shah wintered in Isfahan.

Deaths.

Sultan Salim bin Sultan Bayazid bin Sultjan Muhammad bin
Sultan Murad bin Sultan Muhammad bin Tldarim Bayazid bin Sultan
Murad bin Urkhan bin Sultan ‘Usman bin Artughrul, died(®) from
plague. He was a victorious monarch. He reigned twenty years
and eight months and eight days; and his empire was Anatolia,
Eumelia, Taka Ili, Mar ‘ash, Kaffa,(®) Syria, Aleppo, Egypt and Diyar-
bakr. He fought four wars. The first war was with his father, Sultan

a^sanu-’t-ta-wsrIkh.

Bayazid ; the second with his brother Sultan Ahmad ; the third with
His Majesty Shah Tsma‘11; the fourth with Sultan QansQ, the King
of Egypt and Syria. His son Sultan Sulayman was in Amasia.
They brought him urgently to Constantinople, and set him on the
throne. The poet Aminl(*) composed a Qasida, every line of which
gives the date of his accession.

A.H.9S7. Events in Khurasan. ^Uhayd Khan's coming to Herat.

This year ‘TJbayd Khan crossed the Oxus with thirty thousand
men for Herat. On Thursday, the sixteenth of the second month of
Jumada, Silnduk Beg, Governor of Sarakhs, sent a man to Herat, and
made plain these doings. So the Ghazis looked to the strengthening
of the fort, and Pirl Sultan Rumlu, with Sufiyan Khalifa RQmlu,
defended the ‘Iraq gate, Amir Muhammad bin Amir YQsuf the Malik
gate, Marjamak Sultan the Khush gate, Nukhud Beg the Firuzabad
gate. And Amir Khan with five hundred men stationed himself in
the City Garden. On the morning of Saturday, the thirteenth, Shatir
‘Abdullah, who by Amir Khan’s order was in the town of Chihil
Dukhtaran,(^) came to the city, and reported that ‘Ubayd Khan was
at hand. By Amir Khan’s command he left the city and took up his
quarters in the Ravens’ Garden. On the morning of Sunday ‘Ubayd
TCban with a large number of Uzbeks, arrived at the Avenue,
and camped at Saq-i-Salman.(®) Two days later he commanded the
Uzbeks to begin the fight, and a party of them came to the Ravens’
Garden, and some, coming through the Avenue, came near the colleges,
Amir Husayn ‘Ali, servant of Ghiyasu’d-din Muhammad, went out
of the city with certain fierce men, and between the colleges a great
fight was fought ; and they drove back ‘Ubayd Khan’s men with
bows and muskets. So the second time ‘Ubayd’s men attacked the
‘Iraq gate ; and they were smitten by the Ghftzis, and returned to their
camp. On Friday, the second of the month Rajab, ‘Ubayd Khan
marched with his wild men to the Salar bridge, and thence set out
for Bukhara. And the men of Herat were freed from the siege.

When news of the death of Sultan Salim reached Syria, Jan
Virdi Ghazali rebelled, and camped near Aleppo(®) with certain of the
Circassian and Arab Chiefs. Qaracha Pasha, the Sultan’s Governor of
the fort, was shut up, and the Syrian irregulars began the fight and
siege. And the Turks defended, and for about a month the enemy

AHSANU’T-TA'WAEiKH.

camped hard by the city, fixing his eyes on the walls. Daily, warriors,
sallying from the city, attacked. At night Jan Virdi set out for
Damascus, and Qaracha Pasha sent word to the capital. So Sultan
Sulayman sent Farhad Pasha, with an army and guns. The Pasha
moved with speed, and camped, with ‘All Beg, the son of Shah-
suwar Zu 1-Qadar, hard by Damascus. And Jan Virdi Ghazali hast-
ened to the battle. But Farhad Pasha prevailed, and Jan Virdi
Ghazali was slain. And Farhad Pasha returned with victory to
Constantinople. And he complained to Sultan Sulayman of 'Ali Beg ;
wherefore Sultan Sulayman sent Farhad Pasha to the Zu’l-Qadar
country. And when he arrived there he feigned to be ill, and ‘Ali Beg
thought to visit him. Now his son, Walad Beg, said ‘Let us kill
Farhad Pasha, and plunder his^amp, and set out for the Shah’s Court ;
for his sickness is deceit But ‘Ali Beg would not hearken, but went
to visit Farhad Pasha, who took him and put him to death.

Dlv Sultan leads an army to Georgia.

This year Lawand Khan, the Ruler of Georgia, rebelled, and
sent a body of faithless Gabrs to plunder Shaki. And Hasan Beg,(^)
Governor of that place, sent to Court for aid ; and the Shah sent Div
Sultan Rumlu with certain great Chiefs and warriors to help him.
And Div Sultan crossed by FMq and Qabri and ravaged Zakam and
Giram and pitched his camp at Qari. And Lawand perceived that it
was vain to strive with a raging elephant, and saw no way but to
leave rebellion and submit. And he stirred up interceders, and
humbled himself, and asked forgiveness, and said that it was hard
for them to meet now that enmity had caused estrangement, but
that, if Div Sultan would return, he would come to the Shah’s Court
and show his service and loyalty. So Div Sultan returned to Court.

Miscellaneous events.

The Shah passed the winter at Nakhchiwan. Agha Muhammad
Ruzafztin fled from the Royal camp, and went to Mazandaran,
And Amir ‘Abdu’l-karim contended with him, but was overthrown.
And Agh§. Muhammad fled to the fort of Awlad ; and the Shah sent
Choha Sultan with the army of Traq and Kurdistan against him. In
a week Choha Sult§,n took Port Awlad, and captured Agha Muham-
mad, and sent him to Court. And the province of Mazandaran was

A^SAIS-Tj’T-TAWARiKH.

conferred on Amir ‘Abdu’l-karim, and he covenanted to send seven
thousand tumans to the treasury. This year, also, the Turkish King
conquered the fort of Belgrade, and drove out the Frankish un-
believers from that country.

Deaths.

Khwaja Mawlana-i-Isfahani(^) was a bigoted Sunni. In Shah
Isma^iPs reign he went to Herat ; and, when Shaybak Khan conquered
Khurasan, he entered the Khan’s service; and the Khan chid him
because of his hatred for the family of 'Ali. He died at Bukhara on
the fifth day of the first month of Jumada. Among his works is the
Ta’rlkh-i- ‘ A lam-aray .

Mawlana 'Abdullah Hatifi,(®) the son of Mawlana Jami’s sister,
died in the month of Muharram. Among his poems are : — Khus-
raw and Shirin; Layla and Majnun; Haft Manzar; Timurnama;
Shahnama of His Majesty Shah Isma'il.

Amir Muhammad(’) bin Amir Yusuf; Amir Khan put him to
death on Saturday, the eighth day of Rajab. When this news reach-
ed the Shah he thought that Amir Khan might have rebelled, and he
sent Durmish Khan to govern Khurasan. And Amir Khan was
afraid because of the murder of Amir Muhammad bin Amir Yusuf,
and on Saturday, the nineteenth of Zil-q'ada he set off in the
suite of Prince Tahmasp for Sabzawar, and noised it abroad that
Amir Muhammad designed to bring Babur Padshah to Khur§.san,
and to give Herat to him. So, when he heard of this, he cut short
his life ; and now he would remove Babur also. At that time Dur-
mish Khan and Zaynal Khan had arrived at the Malto bridge. When
Durmish heard of Amir Khan’s going, he went to him. And Amir
Khan made a feast for him, and the red wine removed his trouble
and changed it to love for Amir Khan, who was certified that he
would keep the government of Khurasan as of yore. And he
returned to Herat. At that time Khwaja Habibullah came from
Court to the camp of Prince Tahmasp, and sent a man to Durmish
Khan, saying that he had papers about questioning the ministers and
courtiers of Amir Khan as to the death of Amir Muhammad bin
Amir Yusuf ; if Durmish Khan thought it proper, he would see Amir
Khan, and show him the order. DQrmish Khan answered that he
was not willing that Amir Khan should be troubled by him; the

A^SANU’T-TAWARiKH.

orders might be suppressed. Next day Khwaja Habibullah met
Amir Khan during the march. And Amir Khan, being vexed, asked,
‘ What wrong have I done to Khwaja Shah Husayn that he per-
secutes me ? ’ The Khwaja answered, ‘ You have dared to kill Amir
Muhammad bin Amir YQsuf, who is of the Holy Prophet’s race. Of
that house Mirza Shah Husayn is a friend.’ When Amir Khan heard
these words from the Khwaja, he turned away his face and made
for Herat.

A.H. 928,

This year Prince T^hmasp set out for the Royal Court, and Amir
Khan was with him. And Amir Khan fell sick on the road, so that
he could not ride, but sat in a litter. Then Prince Tahmasp reached
the Royal camp, and the CMefs and Ministers met him. And the
Shah rejoiced exceedingly to see the Prince.

Miscellaneo'iis events.

The winter quarters were at Tabriz. This year Durmish Khan
restored the villages and lands that had been ruined. And Astarabad
was given to Zaynal Khan, and Zaynu’d-din Sultan was made Governor
of Isfarain, and Ahmad Sultan Afshar of Parah.

Deaths,

Amir Khan bin Gulabi Beg bin Amir Beg of Mawsil. He was in
the time of Hasan Padshah a trusted officer, and he did great battle
with the nobles of Sultto Abu SaTd. This year he died on Sunday,
the twelfth day of Sha'ban.

A,H, 929.

Since the unbelievers of Rhodes had oft-times shown enmity
towards Sultan Sulayman, this year he crossed the sea against them.
And Maqal Maturi,(^) the Governor of the fort, heard of the coming of
the Turks, and sent a man to Europe for help. Then Sultan Sulayman
came, and commanded that the fort should be taken. So the Turkish
army set up guns, and broke the towers. And he commanded, and
about three hundred thousand men gathered together from the
Empire, with spades and pick-axes, and came to the fort. And the
Pranks were afraid, and sent ambassadors to Sultan Sulayman asking
for peace. And a covenant was made, and they handed over the
fort, and themselves went in ships to Europe. And Sultan Sulayman,

AHSANtj’T-TAWARiKH.

having conquered that country, came to Constantinople. The poet
Mawlana Niyazi(^) has written a qasida; the first half verse gives
the date of the Sultan’s accession, and the second that of the conquest
of Rhodes.

Ummidi(®) of Tehran was in mildness of temper the first of the
poets of the age. Between him and Shah Qiwamu’d-din(^) Nur
Bakhsh there was a 'dispute regarding a garden, and this year
Qiwamu’d-din sene Bayandur Awlad with men, who wounded Ummidi,
so that he died.

Mirza Shah Husayn, in his youth, was a builder in Isfahan, and
later he engaged in small matters, especially as Wazir of the Darogha
of that place, who was a servant of Durmish Khan. After that,
because of the services which he rendered to the Shah, he received the
Royal favour and was given the high office of Wak ll. Of a truth,
since the Almighty created the heavens and the earth, there has been
no such Wazir, and his high generosity reached so far that daily he
bestowed a thousand tumans in stipends and rewards; and from
excess of pride, and, trusting in the Royal favour, he regarded no
man, and esteemed the Ministers of the state as nought ; till all were
estranged and joined together to destroy him. And among them
Mehtar Shah Quli Rikabdar, the overseer of the stables, owed a
certain sum; and the Wazir demanded it, and was in the way to
dishonour him. So on Thursday, the eighth day of the first Jumada
as he was leaving the office and going to his house, Mehtar Shah Quli
deceitfully came behind him, and, pulling out a dagger from his waists
smote him on the shoulder. And the qurchls,(°) who were present,
saying that it was the Shah’s order to cut him to pieces, drew their
swords and killed him. So his pen was drowned in blood, and his ink-
stand blackened, and the writing on his papers was washed away with
his tears. And Mehtar Shah Quli mounted on a fleet steed, and rode
away to Shirwan. But Shekhshah, King of Shirwan, seized him,
and sent him to the Shah, who handed him over to the slaves of
Mirza Shah Husayn, who put him to death. And it is a strange
thing that, four days before the Mirza was killed, Qazi 'Abdu’r-
rahman of Sawa, Qazi Tsa’s brother’s son, saw in a dream that Mirza
Shah Husayn had ascended to heaven, and of a sudden fell down to
earth, and perished. Then a certain man said ‘ Mirza Shah Husayn
of Isfahan has flnished his life, and his name and descent give the

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

year of his death Then the QazI awoke from his sleep, and counted
the letters of ' Mirza Shah Husayn Isfahan!,’ and found them to agree
with what they had said in his dream. Being greatly amazed he
went to Amir Jamalu’d-din, the Sadr, and told him of it. And of a
sudden the thing did truly come to pass. And Khwaja Ziya’u’d-din
wrote a lamentation on the death of Mirza Shah Husayn. And the
MIrza’s place was given to Khwaja Jalalu’d-din Muhammad Khwan-
damlr(®) of Tabriz.

A.H. 930,

When the winter ended, the Eoyal hunter marched from Tabriz
towards Shaki. And Ghazis and nobles were commanded to gather
together at one of the villages. Then Hasan Beg,(^) the Governor of
Shaki, came to Court with tribute, and was accepted. His Majesty
returned hunting ; and, after he had visited the tombs of his ancestors,
set out for Sarab, and pitched his camp in Say in Kaduki. There His
Majesty fell ill.(^)

Miscellaneous events.

In this year Lawand Beg, the Georgian, led an army to Shaki,
and Hasan Beg, the Governor, went to battle with a strong force.
A hard battle was fought, and the Shaki army was overcome, and
Hasan Beg was slain. Then Lawand Beg returned to Giram. And
the men of Shaki appointed Hasan’s son Darwish Muhammad Khan,
their Governor.

Deaths,

This year Chayan Sultan, (®) the Amiru’l-umara, died; and Div
Sultan became Amiru’l-umara.

Shah Isma^il bin Sultan Haydar bin Sultan Junayd bin Shekh
Ibrahim bin Sultan Khwaja ‘Ali bin Sultan Sadru’d-din bin Sultan
Shekh Safiyyu’d-din. This year illness overcame His Majesty, and,
skilful physicians attended him in vain. For, hour by hour, his
weakness grew, and he could not withstand his sickness. So, on the
night before Monday, the nineteenth of the month of Rajab, his sun set.
And Amir Jamalu’d-din of Astarabad washed His Majesty’s body, and
they bore him to Ardabil, and buried him beside his ancestors and
his father.

He treated his subjects and the lowly with justice and kind-
ness, and from awe of him the gates of oppression over the people were
shut. His age was thirty-eight years, (^) and he reigned for twenty-

AHSANtj’T-TAWAKiKH.

four years. His realm was Adarbayjan, Persian ‘Iraq, Khurasan,
Pars, Kirman, and Khuzistan; and for some time, also, Diyarbakr,
Balkh, and Marv. His Majesty was a lion in battle, and a cloud,
dropping pearls of bounty, in the banquet chamber. His generosity
looked upon pure gold as but a worthless stone, and in his high spirit
the world’s riches did not suffice for a day. So his treasury was.
for the most part empty. He loved the chase, and would slay a lion
alone. And he commanded his agents to give to him who brought
news of a lion, a horse and saddle; and, for a panther, a horse.
And he would go alone, and slay the lion or panther. His Majesty
fought five battles in his reign. The first was with Parrukh Yasar,
King of Shirwan, at the village of Jabam ; the second with Alwand,
at Shurur; the third with Sultan •Murad, at Alma Qulaqi of
Hamadan; the fourth with Shaybak Khan, near Marv; the fifth
with Sultan Salim at Chaldiran. His Majesty had four sons — Shah
Tahmasp, Sam Mirza, Ilqas Mirza (who dared to rebel), and Bahram
Mirza. His Majesty’s daughters were five — Khanish Khanam,
Parikhan Khanam, Mihin Banu Sultanam, Parangis Khanam, and
Shah Zinat Khanam. Besides there were children who died in
childhood, whose names need not be written here. Verses giving the
date of his death shew it to be given by the words ‘ Zil and
‘ Khusraw-i-din.’

Qasim Khan(®) bin Sayyidak Khan bin Jani Beg bin Buraq bin
Qaraja bin Quzl ‘Aq bin Ur us Khan bin Chatmay Khan bin Trzan
bin SasI Buqay bin Quli bin Aurda bin Juji bin Chingiz Khan, died
this year. He was a brave king, and his country was the Plain of
Qipchaq and the Cossack tribes. After him his son Haqq Nazar
Khan became Khan, and he is now the Ruler of the Plain.

Shekh Shah(®) bin Parrukh Yasar also died this year. He reigned
for twenty-three years. His country was all Shirwan. After him
his son Sultan Khalil took his place.

Khwaja Jalalu’d-din Khwandamir of Tabriz, who became Wazir
after Mirza Shah Husayn, recited a quatrainC^) on the day he became
Wazir : —

Light of my eyes — through which the world is known ! My days
are black like night now thou hast flown.

We were two lamps that gave one single ray. Pate took thee
from me ; and I burn alone.

A^SANTj’T-TAWSEiKH.

So long as His Majesty lived the Khwaja was his independent
Wazir. And on the Shah’s death he was accepted as Wazir by Shah
Tahmasp. But there was contention between him and Div Sultan,
the Amiru’l-umara, which led at last to treachery, and he was killed.
It is said that, on the day that they were plaiting the reeds to burn
hina, he recited verses about it.

The Accession of Shah Tahmasp.

On the morning of Monday, the nineteenth of Rajab, His Majesty
Shah Tahmasp sat on the throne of his father. His age was then ten
years and six months and twenty days. The Chiefs and Ministers
stood in their appointed places, and great and small thronged thn
Court, and attended on the Royal word. And Faith and State received
new lustre. Then the Shah bestowed favours on his nobles and Chiefs,
and 'Div Sultan Rumlu was entr uste d with the affairs _Q f the king-
dom, an d Qazi-i-Jahan of Qazwin was made head^f_tha_pffiggg after
J alalu’d-din was burnt . And Amir Q[iwamu’d-din Husayn w as made
jn yt, ^adn- a. lorifjf with Amir JalSlu’-d-din Muhammad of Astarabad.
That winter was spent at Tabriz. And the governorship of Khurasan
was handed over, as before, to Diirmish Khan.

Now ‘Ubayd Khan bin Mahmud Sultan became Ruler in Bukhara.
After the death of Shaybak Khan he desired to conquer Khurasan,
but feared the Shah, and made himself content with Bukhara. This
year, with the help of the Chingiz Khans and fierce Uzbeks, he crossed
tjhe Oxus for Khurasan. And when news of this reached Herat,
Timur Ughali and Husayn Mirza and Khwaja’ HabibuUah, and all the
loyal Ghazis, went to the Khan’s assembly and took counsel together.
And they agreed to stand a siege. Then the Firuzabad gate was
assigned to Khwaja HabibuUah, whUe Timur Ughali strengthened
the ‘Iraq gate, and Husayn Mirza, the Khan’s brother, defended
the Malik gate. And Durmish Khan with a party of Ghazis abode
with Sam Mirza, so that he might attend equally to aU the gates and
towers, and so that he might bring help quickly wheresoever it was
needed. Next day Kuohum Khan, and ‘Ubayd Khan, and the other
Sultans, came close to the city ; and Kuohum Khan camped m the
viUage of Shamiyana, ‘Ubayd Khan and the men of Bukhara in the
Deer Garden, Siinjuk Sultan and a body of braves in the Garden of
Desire, and Abu Sa‘id Sultan in the viUage of Maran. In truth the
city of Herat was surrounded by these fierce Uzbeks.

‘92

ahsanu’t-tawIrikh.

Then the Uzbeks attacked the Firuzabad gate. And Khwaja
Habibullah and his officers came out and fought, and drove them back.
Next day ‘Ubayd Khan and the Uzbeks mounted, and came near the
barricades. But the Ghazis scattered them with musket fire. And
in those days the Uzbek foes of the Safawis oft-times came to battle,
and as often they suffered defeat. And since they hit not the mark
of their desire, nor saw the light of fortune dawn, they thought of
peace. And Kuchum Khan sent a letter to Durmish Khan, bidding
him to cease resisting, and to come out and hand over the keys of the
<3ity, and be enrolled amongst their nobles. And when Durmish Khan
understood this letter, he sent back an answer from Sam Mlrza to
Kuchum Khan, thus : — ' May Kuchum Khan be protected by the
Royal favour, and know, that I have*seen the letter which was sent
to my guardian Durmish Khan. And I am amazed beyond measure
that the Khan should so write, notwithstanding what he has seen of
fighting, and travel, and all manner of experience. This day he
should march to his own country, and save himself from the wrath of
the Royal swordsmen.’ By the order of Durmish Khan this letter
was sent to Kuchum Khan, who, when he had understood it, came
again for battle. And one day Durmish Khan, with a body of his
■own men, came up the tower of Mlrza Sultan Ahmad, which is hard
by the Garden of Desire. He sent a party of his servants under
“Qara Ishik towards the Garden of Desire, and the soldiers mounted
and moved towards the garden. And when they reached the White
Garden, where were the Uzbek watchmen, a great fight began ; and
the fierce Uzbeks fled from the brave Syrians. (®) Then the warriors
passed from the White Garden to the gate of the Garden of Desire,
and a brave man broke the gate with his battle mace. At that time
‘Ubayd Khan had come to Sunjuk Muhammad Sultan, and they were
speaking together. And a company of Uzbeks, in all confusion, came
to them, and said, ‘ Rise ; for the Qizilbash army, and its Syrian
rabble, have forced their way, and come to the garden.’ And Sunjuk
Muhammad Sultan, from the excess of his confusion, fell into a stream.
And ‘Ubayd Khan, in utter fear, got him to his horse, and fled to his
camp. And the Ghazis returned. And when the Uzbeks perceived
such daring in the Ghazis, they knew that to take Herat by fighting
was a thing impossible. And they marched off to their own country.

AHS ANTj’T-TAWARiKH .

A.H, 931.

This year there arose a quarrel between Div Sultan Rtim lu and
Kupuk Sultan Ustajlu conc er ning the post of Since the

retainers of Div Sultan were in Chukhur Sa‘d he submitted to the
Ustajlu Chiefs, and having obtained leave to go to Khurasan to fight
the Uzbeks, set out for the summer quarters of Lar.(^) And from
thence he wrote to Choha Sultan, Governor of the Kalhur{®) country
and 'Ali Sultan Zu’l-Qadar, Governor of Shiraz, and Qara Sultan
Takalu, feudal Lord of Hamadan, and all the Chiefs of high degree,,
saying : — ' We have come with horse and foot, by the Shah’s command^
against the Uzbeks. Let our friends unite with us, and gather their
forces, and join our camp at Lar.’ Then he sent couriers with those
letters, and passed the summer at Lar. And the Governors of
Mazandaran, and Hazarjarib, and Rustamdar, sent their officers
with boundless presents to Div Sultan’s court at Lar. And Div
Sultan made a feast, and the cups of red wine passed around, and
musicians played, surpassing what is heard in the halls of love of
Venus. And he wrote letters, and sealed them with the Shah’s seal,
which he had brought with him, to Kashan and Qum and to all the
province of Traq, and brought arms and armour and divided them
among the Chiefs’ men. And he won their hearts by gifts ; and all
followed him. To the Chiefs he said ‘ The Shah was on my side, but
Kupuk Sultan raised up mischief. So, therefore, I have left the
country ; and I ask of you to help me with all your hearts, that I
may take the Wakil’s place from him.’ And the Chiefs agreed,
and they moved towards Tabriz. And when Kupuk Sultan heard of
their coming, he took counsel with his officers. Then Qaranja Beg
said that Div Sultan was a man faithless and caring not for the
right, who, for all the favours the Shah had shown him, had no gratitude
in that he thus behaved. They need not fear him, but trust in the
King, and go and meet him, and open the gates of battle before his
face. But Kupuk Sultan would have none of this, and said, ‘ Lo, we
are both the slaves of the Shah, and the friends of this Court.
Neither should we quarrel with one another.’ After that he went to
meet Div Sultan as far as Turkman Kandi,(^) and together they came
to Court and presented themselves at Jarandab.(^) Div Sultan put to
death Qaranja Beg Ustajlu and Narin Beg Qajar, who had set on foot

AHSAHTU’T-TAWAEiKH.

this trouble; and seized Qazi-i-Jahan and sent him to the fort of
Nuri(^) ; and Kupub Sultan and all the Ustajlus he sent to fight in
'Georgia. And, after they had gone, he cut off the grants that were
theirs. Now Kupub Sultan had thought that, when he ceased to
withstand him, Div Sultan would mabe him joint Wabil. But this,
in truth, was not done.

Miscellaneous events.

This year the Shah gave the superintendence of the State offices
to Amir Ja'far of Sawa; and Choha Sultan had the Royal Seal in
place of Kupub Sultan. Winter quarters were at Tabriz.

Deaths.

This year Durmish Khan bin fAbdi Beg Shamlu died. Then
the Shah gave the governorship of Herat to Husayn Khan his
^ brother. ‘Ali Sultan, Governor of Shiraz, died ; and the Shah gave
Shiraz to Murad Sultan ZuT-Qadar.(®)

Amir Jamalu’d-din Muhammad of Astarabad was a pupil of
Mawlana Jalalu’d-din Muhammad Dawwani. Thereafter he read the
Sharh-i-Tawali‘ at Herat under Mawlana Shebh Hasan Muhtasib.
At last he became Sadr of Shah Isma‘il, as has been written. Mirza
Shah Husayn was at variance with him. So he sent for Amir
Ghiyasu’d-din Mansur to come to Court, and be joint Sadr with him.
But nothing was done. Oft-times they spoke of the matter ; and,
since Amir Jamalu-d-din was humorous, he ever turned their talk
into some witticism. Therefore Mir Ghiyasu’d-din Mansur returned
to Shiraz, and gained not his object. Mawlana Khalilullah, the
astrologer of Kashan, wrote a quatrain about this matter. And,
when first the Seal of the Mujtahids, Shekh 'Ali, came to Court from
Arabian Traq, he and the Amir were friends outwardly. The Amir
desired that the Shekh should read with him Mawlana 'Ali Qushji’s
commentary on the Taj rid, and that he should read with Shekh ‘Ali
the book of the Qawafid, And the Amir said that this week was
proper for the Sufi study, the next week for jurisprudence. So
the Shekh gave one or two lessons on the Tajrid. But when the
Amir’s turn came for jurisprudence, he feigned to be ill. In truth
after Muhaqqiq Khwaja Nasiru’d-din Muhammad Tusi none strove

^ Brother’s son in the text : see notes on text.

ahsantt’t-tawIrikh.

more to spread the Shi'a faith. And all he could he did to punish
miscreants, to root out heresy, to stop the use of things forbidden,
to spread praise and mourning, to promote religious duties and
public prayer and fasting and daily prayers, to look after Imams and
Muezzins, to prevent the acts of rebels and wrong-doers. And he
encouraged every man to study the Law of Islam, and made it
his duty. This year he died ; and, according to his will, they took his
body to Husayn’s tomb at Karbala, and buried it there.

A,H, 932,

The war with the Ustajlu Chiefs,

This year, because of the stopping of their grants, the Ustajlu
Chiefs began to rebel. Early m the month of Rajab, Kupuk Sultan
came to Sultaniyya from Khalkhal, and Mantasha Sultan, Qilij
Khan, Kurd Beg, and Badr Beg, joined him. And when Div Sultan
and Choha Sultan heard of their rebellion, they moved against them
with a great army, and camped at the village of Saksanjuk.(^) The
Chiefs thought to try again for peace, and to put down this rebellion
by their plans. So Qasim Khalifa Warsaq was sent to lay the
foundations of peace. And Qasim sought to make peace, and came to
Kupuk Sultan. But it was vain; for this dispute could not be
ended save by the sword. On the right wing were Burun Strltan
Takalu, Qaracha Sultan, and Akhi Sultan Takalu ; on the left
Damri Sultan Shamlu, and Zul-Qadar Ughali Muhammad Khan.
And the Ustajlus in the centre were under the standard of Kupuk
Sultan; their right wing was under Mantashii Sultan, and their
left under Qazaq Sultan. Then Kupuk and Mantasha attacked
the Takalu Chiefs, and overthrew them, and killed Burun Suita n{^) and
Qaracha Sultan, and pursued after their men. But they were
attacked by the Shah, and a company of qurchls put them to flight,
and pursued after them. So the Ustajlu Chiefs fled to Abhar. But,
by swift pursuit, they caught them; and they fled for refuge to
Muzaffar Sultan, Governor of Resht. And he sent eight thousand
foot to help them. Therefore the Shah, leaving his camp at Khal-
khal, hastened after them, and sent as envoys Div Sultan, Choha
Sultan, Muhammad Khan Zu’l-Qadar Ughali, Akhi Sultan, and Damri
Sultan. But when there reached Kharzawil,(®) Kupuk, Mantasha,

A^SANtr’T-TAWSEiKH.

Qazaq, Kurd Beg, Badr Beg, and Qillj Beg, burst of a sudden out of
the Gilan jungles, and arrayed themselves before them. But in the
battle the Shah’s men got the victory. So Kupuk Sultan fled, and the
Chiefs pursued, and slew most of the Gilan men. But Kupuk and
Mantasha escaped, and came, after much toil, to Gilan.

The war of Babur with the Afghans, and his Indian victory. C^)

Now Babur marched against Bihra. And the Afghans fled. So
Babur entrusted the land to one of his officers, and returned to Kabul.
Then he marched against Lahore, and took it. But Sultan Ibrahim,
King of India, led a vast host against him, with elephants, expecting
that Babur would fear, and would return to Kabul. And the battle
was fought at Panipat. The greater part of the elephants were
wounded, and the Hindus fled. Ibraiiim fled to a waste place, and
he was taken and put to death. Then Babur, having entrusted Dellii
to the Qutluqs, set out for Agra. Thus he took possession of the land
of India.

The capture of Tiis(^) by ‘Ubayd Khan.

Now when ‘Ubayd Khan heard of the dissensions among the
Persians, the death of Khwaja HabibuUah, the conquests of the
S5T:ians, the deaths of Durmish Khan and Burun Sultan, and the
disorder in Khurasan, he crossed the Oxus and came to Marv, and set
out for Tus with horse and foot, and surrounded it. At that time
Burtin’s family was in the town. And the Ghazis came out, and
fought all day, and in the evening returned to the city, and were
shut in by ‘Ubayd Khan ; and for months they were besieged. Then
starvation came upon them, and they ate old leather, and many
drank the blood of their horses, and their horses they fed on wood.
They sent for help to the rulers of Khurasan; but none came to
help them. So the Uzbeks overcame them, and took the land.
And ‘Ubayd Khan handed over the town to a trusted officer, and set
out for Astarabad.

The taking of Balkh by Kaskan Qard Sullan.i^)

Now, in the autumn, Kaskan, son of Jani Beg, appeared outside
Balkh with a great army of Uzbeks, and besieged Muhammad Zaman
Mirza. And Babur called Muhammad Zaman. So he left Balkh for
Agra, where he was honourably received, and given a grant of twenty
thousand thmans. And Kaskan took Balkh.

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

The war between Zaynu^-d-din Sultan and Chaghatay Bahadur,

Then Chaghatay BahMur with three thousand horse fell on Khura-
san, and plundered it, and returned. And when Zaynu’-d-din Sultan
Shamlu, Governor of Isfarain, heard of this, he sent Mahmud Beg
against the Uzbeks. And he met them six leagues from Isfarain.
In the battle, out of six hundred horsemen of Zaynu-’d-din, three
hundred were slain ; and, of three thousand Uzbeks, seven hundred.
So the Uzbeks marched to Bukhara, and the Gh§,2is returned to
Isfarain.

Miscellaneous events.

The Shah wintered at Qazwin. This year there came Kar Kiya
Ahmad, Governor of Lahijan. He was received, and returned to his,
own land. •

The murder of Khwaja Hab%bullah,(^)

One day, as the Khwaja played at backgammon, there came a
company of Shamlus, who had not received their pay. And raising
their voices, they asked to be relieved from service, if they were not to
be paid. The Khwaja said he would let them go ; and he wrote
and sealed a passport for them. But the Syrians went straightway
to Yar Ahmad Khalifa, their Chief, and told him. And he had the
Khwaja’s house surrounded, and, killed his son, and all his relations
and attendants, to the number of nigh one hundred souls. And Dar-
wish Beg Rumlu laid hold of the Khwaja. And the Khwaja prayed
that he might be sent to Sam Mirza. So Darwish Beg threw a cloak
over his head that men might not know him. But certain Syrians
knew him and put him to death. He was a generous man, feeding
people in Ramazan ; giving clothes to the poor, when the winter came ;
helping the sick with medicines. He had an officer appointed to go
round about the land and provide shrouds for the burial of strangers
who died ; and he would ask any great man that came to him if he
had any needy whom he could help.

A.H. 938 .

The battle between Div and Ghbha Sultans and the Ustajlu
Chiefs at Shuvur. The defeat of the Ustdjlus and death
of Kupuk Sultan,

Now, since his defeat and flight to Gilan, Kupuk Sultan thought
day and night how he might take Div Sultan’s place. So he turned
7

AHSANU’T-TAW ARIKH.

towards x4rdabiL And Badinjan Sultan Rumlu abode at Ardabil.
And he was ninety years old, and was weak in mind. And he went to
meet Knpuk Sultan, along with Ayqut Beg Rumlu and Maqsud Beg
Ohapam and the Talish Chiefs and three thousand and eight hundred
horse. At Qara Dara they met. And Mantasha Sultan and his war-
riors attacked their centre, and Badinjan Sultan, though his army was
great and his pride boundless, fled before those few Ustajlus. Then the
Ustajlu Chiefs pursued them, and Ahmad Agha Chaushlu, the standard
bearer of Qazuq Sultan, killed Badinjan, and took his head to the
Ustajlu Chiefs, who entered the city. And they made pilgrimage to
Shekh Safiyyu-’d-din Ishaq’s tomb, and set out for Tabriz. Then the
Shah, hearing of this, sent Div Sultan, and Choha Sultan, and Zu’l-
Qadar Muhammad Khan,(^) with eight thousand horse and a thousand
qurchls. And they marched with speed. So, when the Ustajlu Chiefs
who were at Tabriz heard of this, they set out for Chukhur Sa’d, and
at Shurur(^) Kupuk Sultan fell upon the Shah’s men with a thousand
horse. Div Sultan was in the centre ; Choha Sultan on the right ; and
Muhammad Khan on the left. In the first attack Taju-’d-din broke
through ; and behind him -were Kupuk Sultan, Mantasha Sultan, Qazaq
Sultan, Badr Beg, and the other Ustajlus. But in the battle Muhammad
Khan took the Ustajlus in the flank, and killed Kupuk Sultan,
Taju’d-din Beg, Darwish Beg, and many other Ustajlus. But
Mantasha Sultan and Qazaq Sultan broke through, and, with much
toil, they got to Gilan. And the Royal army rejoined the Shah’s
camp at the Zanjana river with much booty.

‘Ubayd Khan's war with Ahhl Sultan and Damn Sultan ;
their deaths.

Now ‘Ubayd Khan marched with a strong army against Astara-
bad, and Zaynal Khan’s scouts, whose leader was Qlyapay Beg Ustajlu,
fought as men with him ; but in the end they were overthrown* And
Zaynal Khan took the families of his men, and turned towards Ray.
Then ‘Ubayd Khan entrusted the district of Astarabad to his son,
‘Abdu’-l-‘aziz Sultan, and returned towards Balkh. And Zaynal
Khan and Akhi Sultan joined Pir Qull Sultto, whom the Shah had sent
to help them, and returned to Astarabad. And ‘Abdu’-l-‘az!z fled
before them to his father, and wept, and told him all that had come
to pass. So ‘Ubayd Khan marched on Bistam, and his advance

ahsanu’t-tawaeizh.

guards plundered the town. The Darogha of that place killed an Uzbek,
and bore his head to Astarabad. Now when AkhI Sultan heard of
the Uzbeks in Bistam, he armed himself and marched thither. And
near the town he found ‘Ubayd’s army. Then Damri Sultan would
fain have gone into the city, and sent a messenger to the Shah. But
Akhi Sultan said that the foe should see nought of him but his sword
and his bow. Then ‘Ubayd arrayed his army, and put Qambar 'All on
the left, and Zaynish Bahadur on the right ; and 'Ubayd himself was
in the centre. On the Persian side Akhi was in the centre, Damri on
the right, and Shah ‘AH Beg on the left. But the Ghazls feared, as
well they might, for they had but two thousand and five hundred
horse, against more than twenty thousand. Then Damri(^) pierced
the centre of the foe, but a company of Uzbeks from the centre fell
upon him, and drove him backVith voUeys. And Akhi Sultan(^) fell
on ‘Ubayd Khan, but he was driven back and wounded. And Damri
was slain ; but Akhi was brought alive to ‘Ubayd Khan. And he
abused ‘Ubayd, and, by his order, was killed. So when Zaynal Khan
heard of this, he left Astarabad for Piruzkuh. And ‘Ubayd appointed
Zaynish Bahadur, Governor of Astarabad. And he himself went to-
wards Herat, and wintered at Ghuriyan.

The war(^) of Sultan Sulayman loiih the Frankish infidels.

Now Sulayman Padshah of Turkey gathered an army, and set
out for Hungary. And when they reached the Danube river, the
Khwandgar commanded that a bridge should be made, by which they
crossed. And Ferdinand and the Ban of Transylvania gathered men
together at the village of Mohacz, and put guns and gun carriages in
front, and strengthened their position, and prepared to fight. And
Ibrahim Pasha, (®) the Grand Wazir, was on the right wing, and on the
left were Qasim Pasha and Farhad Pasha and ‘Ali Pasha. And the
earth trembled with the weight of arms, and the sky was shaken by the
thud of hoofs, and the dust rose to heaven. And Ferdinand with his
men fell on the left of the Turkish army, and reached the Khwand-
gar’s centre, overthrowing Ibrahim Pasha. Then guns and muskets
opened on the Franks, and Sultan Sulayman fell upon them. And,
after much fighting, the infidels gave way, and were pursued by
Farhad Pasha with the army of Anatolia; and many were slain.
Then the infidels, thinking that men coming towards them were a

100

A^SANTj’T-TAWSEiKH.

Turkish army, broke, and were pursued and slaughtered. The Turks
took much booty, and made for Buda, the chief town of Hungary.
And the son of Ferdinand sent offerings to the Khwandgar, and yielded
up the city. So the Khwandgar bestowed upon him the government of
the land, and returned to Constantinople.

Miscellaneous events.

This year, at the summer quarters of Guzil I)ara,(^) on Thursday
the seventh day of Shawwal Div Sulfan Rumlti was killed{®) by
the instigation of Choha Sultan; his army was given to one of his
retainers, whose name was Sulayman Beg Rumlti, And Choha Sul-
tan became Wakll. The winter was spent at Qazwin.

A.H. 9S4.

The siege of Herat hy ‘ Ubayd Khan.

Now Husayn Khan strengthened the walls and ramparts and gates,
and repaired the roads and passages at Herat, while ‘Ubayd Khan
wintered in the district of GhQriyan. All the spring equinox ‘Ubayd
camped at the village of Shamiyana near Herat. And, twice or
thrice, the Uzbeks attacked the city ; but it was strong, and it was
bravely held. Therefore ‘Ubayd was fain to cut off its supplies.
It is said that a man was taken who had brought in a little salt ;
and they put him to a shameful death. And for four months ‘Ubayd
KJhan was near Herat; and his men attacked, but were made to
return with loss. Then Yarl Khan, the AmlruT-umara, came from
Bukhara, and opened his mouth against ‘Ubayd, saying that the
town should be a/Ssaulted and taken. And he went out, with certain
of the leaders, to see the barricades of Baba Ilahi, and he came to the
barricade which was over against the Khakistar tower. And he left
his men, and was shot by a gun-man, and his head was cut off
and taken to Husayn Khan, together with his gear. In his pocket a
seal was found, and it read, when impressed on paper, ‘ the Servant,
Yari bin Jan Wafa Mirza. ’ At this time one of his attendants came
into the city to find out about his death, and, having found out how
it was, returned. On the same day there came a man from Zaynish
Bahadur from Damaghan, telling of the death of Zaynal Khan. And
‘Ubayd Khan was pleased, even as his friends had never seen him

ahsanu’t-tawarikh.

101

pleased before. But, before the day ended, his joy was changed to
sorrow.

Now when the siege had lasted many days, and hunger was
in the city, Husayn Khan, having taken counsel, commanded that
the folk of the middle class, and such as were nob known as Shras,
should be turned out of the city. So the city became empty, and
no man was seen in the bazars. And there was no salt, for a Her^ti
maund was sold for three hundred dinars. And rich men would
hide a piece in their turbans, to rub on their tongues when they ate.
And seven months passed in dreadful siege, till it was heard that the
Royal army was at hand, and that Zaynish Bahadur, 'Ubayd Khan’s
Governor of Damaghan^ had been slain. Then ^Ubayd marched from
outside Herat, and fled. •

The war of Zaynish Uzbek with Zaynal Khan and Jigarga 8tiUdn,{^)

This year Zaynish Bahadur left Damaghan for Firuzkuh, and
there he appeared when Zaynal Khan and Jigarga Sultan and Mustafa
Sultan had gone ahunting. And there was a hard fight. And Zaynish
was unhorsed, and a Ghazi thought to kill him, but he refrained, be-
cause of the meanness of his body. So Zaynish mounted on another
horse, and escaped. And he was surrounded by other Uzbeks, who
drove off the Ghazis, and killed Zaynal Khan and Jigarga Sultan and
Mustafa. So Zaynish sent their heads to ‘Ubayd Khan, and returned
to Damaghan.

The hilling of Ibrahim Khdn,(^) and the conquest of Baghdad by

ZuH-faqdr.

Zu’l-faqar bin Nukhud Sultan, the Governor of the Kalhurs, in
his madness and his folly, attacked his uncle Ibrahim Khan, the Gover-
nor of Baghdad, at his summer quarters at Mahl Dasht. Now
Ibrahim, though men warned him, sat in his office ; and Zu’l-faqar came
with two hundred men to the Khan’s camp. Then Ibrahim hid in his
harim. But Zu’l-faqar brought down his tent, and slew him, and
cut up five or six of his retainers. And most of his servants followed
Zu’l-faqar. At that time Sayyid Beg, the 'son of Sayyid Kamuna,
came with four hundred horsemen, and they were constrained to join
Zu’l-faqar’s army. And Zu’l-faqar commanded his servants to shave
ofl[ their eyebrows and their moustaches. And from thence he went to

102

AHSANU’T-TAWAEiKH.

Baghdad, and laid siege to it, and took it. And he slew all his own
people, and became the ruler of all Arabian ‘Iraq.

A,H. 985.

The battle of the Shah with the Uzbeks at Jdm.

Now there was joy and gladness every day when the Shah
made Kharqan his summer abode. But from Khurasan couriers
kept acoming, saying that ‘Ubayd Khto, that rebel, was stirring up
mischief and trouble. Then the Shah’s anger was kindled, and he
commanded that the army should pass over to Khurasan to chastise
the proud wrong doers. And he sent heralds throughout the land to
gather his soldiers. In the beginning of the month of Ramazan he
pitched his camp at Chaman-i-makhur,(^) and by the time of the Td
he reached Saru Qumish.(^) And, when the camp was outside Sultan
Maydani, it was heard that Zaynish Khan trusted in the strength
of the fort of Damaghan. So Choha Sultan and Ulma Sultto and
Muhammad Khan Zu’l-Qadar were commanded to march with speed on
Damaghan ; and the Shah would follow. And DamaghAn was attack-
ed, and Zaynish fled within the fort. And the Chiefs came round
about it, and Ustad Shekh! the gunner, with Rumlu musketeers,
climbed a plane tree hard by, and made a place of defence, and
caught the enemy with musket fire. And oft-times Zaynish came out,
but he gave his men to be killed. So, seeing that all the ways of
escape were shut, he tied a rope to his waist at night, and came out.
But the Ghazis came to know of it, and caught him, and made
an end of his life. And the army took the fort by assault, and all the
Uzbeks were put to the sword. And it was the news of this that made
‘Ubayd Khan leave Herat for Samarqand, and supplicate the Chiefs
of Transoxiana for help.

Then the Shah left Damaghan and reached Kalpush. And there
he heard that Qambar ‘Ali and a body of Uzbeks were at Isfaraln. So
he sent Choha Sultan, Hamza Sultan, and Husayn Sultan, against
him. And Qambar ‘Ali fled to Transoxiana. And the great Chiefs
went as far as Khabushan, and returned from thence. And the Shah
reached Mashhad, and visited the Imam’s tomb. And there he heard
of the coming of ‘Ubayd Khan. Then he sent fourteen qurchis
forward to get news ; and they fell in with four hundred enemy horse,
and took captive some of them. Next day the Shah sent Ulma
Sultan and Zu’l-Qadar Muhammad Khan to get news of the enemy.

ahsanu’t-tawarikh.

103

And they met the Uzbek chiefs, and returned, for they deemed it
unwise to fight with them. And the next day the Uzbeks reached the
defile of Zirabad near the Persian camp. The day after the Shah got
himself ready for battle. On the right and left wings were Choha
Sultan Takalu, Husayn Khan Shamlu, Tabarruk Khan ShamlQ, Hamza
Sultan Zu’l-Qadar, Hamza Sultan Takalu, Ahmad Sultan Ustajlu,
Ahmad Sultan Afshar, Muhammad Khan Zul-Qadar Ughali, Pir Quli
Sultan Shamlu, Ya'qub Sultan Qajar, Muhammad Sultan Sliarafu’d-dm
Ughali, Hasan Sultan Durghud Ughali, Malik Beg Tundkhuy. In
front of the army were wagons with guns and cannon.

And 'Ubayd Khan had gathered a mighty host, more than had
ever crossed the Oxus since the coming of Chingiz Khan, from all
Transoxiana, Kashghar, Turlsistan, Andijan, Utrar, Sabran, Qabil,
Tarfan, Ghilman, Qazaq, and the plains of Qipchaq and Qirghiz.
In the centre were 'Ubayd Khan and Kuchum Khan ; on the left
Buraq Khan, Pulad Sultan, 'Abdu’l-'aziz Sultan, and 'Abdu’J-latIf
Sultan ; on the right Jtol Beg Sultan, Kildi Muhammad Sultan,
'Abu Sa'id Sultan; and in reserve were Sunjuk Muhammad Sultan,
with Qambar 'All Beg, Shekh Darwish Beg, and Rustam Quli Beg.
Tabal Khwaja and Qaraja Bahadur were sentinels. And other Chiefs
were Kaskan Qara Sultan, Qumish IJghalan, Tinash Beg, Sayyidam
Mirza, Chaghatay Bahadur, Biyaqu Bahadur, Hafiz Qunqurat, Shekh
Abu Sa'id Afrasiyab; these took their own places. Then Jani Beg,
with a company of Uzbeks, fell upon the Takalu Chiefs, and the
Qizilbashes were overthrown and Muhammad Sultan Sharafu’d-din
Ughali was unhorsed, but an officer remounted him, and Hasan
Sultan Durghud came to help him. But in the end the Takalu
Chiefs fled; and Jani Beg pursued, and fell upon the camels in the
camp bazar. The men of the bazar plied their bows, but the greater
part was wounded and killed. And the Chiefs of the left wing also
fled, and Ya'qub Sultan Qajar aud Malik Beg of Khuy stayed not till
they reached Damaghan and Samnan. And all this time in the
centre the Shah held firm ; though the gunners and musketeers in
front could not fire, for the Uzbeks came not from the front. And the
dust was thick so that men could not tell friend from foe. Then,
when it lifted, a white Standard was seen ; and beneath it was 'Ubayd
Khan. So men were sent against him and Kuchum Khan. And
though he fought bravely he was constrained to fly.

104

A^SANn’T-TAWARiKH.

It is said that, when the Qizilbash army fled, the Uzbek Chiefs
came to ^Ubayd Khan to tell the glad news. But he said, ^ I see from
afar a blackness that standeth in its place and moveth not. Surely
it is the remnant of the Qizilbash army. Let men go and bring me
word how the matter is.’ They said the Qizilbashes were overthrown,
nor could they have remained, perchance it was the baggage animals.
And men were sent, and straightway they knew it was an army. And
they returned and reported how it was. Then the Shamlus and ZuT-
qadaris and others came to the fight. So 'Ubayd turned to flee. And
one of the Royal qurchis got to him, and smote(^) him on the back
with his sword ; but, because of the meanness of his body, he escaped.
But he fainted from the young man’s blow. And one of those near
went before him, and one drove his» horse. Then another qurchi
reached him, and would fain have made an end of him. But Tabal
Khwaja, the Chief of the Stables, turned away that qurchrs arrow.
And ‘Ubayd Khan and Kuchum Sultan hardly escaped from that
whirlpool. And the army of the foe turned its back, though it was as
twenty to one.

Then the Shah dismounted, and his qurchi braves came round
him. And he lay down to rest. And Jan! Beg Sultan and many
Uzbeks, who had gone in pursuit, came, thinking it was the camp of
‘Ubayd. And the Shah mounted his horse again and fell upon them,
though Choha Sultan, in unmanly fashion, pleaded that they should
await those of their men who had fled. Then, hearing of 'Ubayd’s
flight, JanI Beg also fled; and he lost many men in the pursuit.
And the Uzbeks hamstringed their horses, and mounted on camels.
And it is a wonder that ‘Ubayd had brought forty learned men from
Transoxiana to pray for his success, and all these were slain in the
battle.

So the Shah stayed in that place for some days. And he restored
Herat to Husayn Khan, who had shown bravery. Thereafter he left
for Traq, for he heard that ZuT-faqar had rebelled at Baghdad.
Yet he abode some days at Nayshapur, and sent the news of his victory
throughout the world.

The capture of Mashhad hy *Ubayd Khan,

Now, some months after the Shah had left, 'Ubayd Khan sent
Sunjuk Muhammad Sultan and ‘Abdu’l-‘aziz Sultan, with six thou-

AIjtSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

105

sand Uzbek horsemen, against Mashhad. Ahmad Sultan Afshar,
Ya^qub Sultan Qajar, and Aghziwar Sultan(^) Shamlu were in that
province with three or four thousand Ghazis. They came out of
the city, and met the Uzbeks, and drove them as far as Turuq ;
and some they slew, and brought their heads to the city. For two
months such fights there were. The Chiefs defended the city to the
utmost, till ‘Ubayd Khan himself appeared. Then fche Ghazis were
afraid, for the battlements of Mashhad were not completed. And
that night the gunmen feared, and came to the Chiefs, saying, that
'Ubayd Khan had come for vengeance, and they could not withstand
him. And, when they fought, the Uzbeks took the barricades, and
the army of Khurasan feared, and fled by night. And 'Ubayd sent
men after them, but they cou^^ not catch them, though some of the
Qizilbashes were taken. Then 'Ubayd entered the city, and put to
death about three hundred Ghazis. And he handed over the city to
one of his retainers, and returned towards Herat. And Husayn
Khan and his nobles, knowing how small were the stores, inclined to
peace ; and, with the approval of KhwHja Ishaq Siawushani, it was
agreed that 'Ubayd should retire certain marches, and they should
remove from the city their wives and children and goods, and go to a
safe place, unpursued. So all the Ghazis and Sh!‘as left Herat for
Sistan. And, when they came near that land, they were met by
presents from Malik Sultan Mahmud. And, hearing that the men of
Bist Warza had rebelled, and had taken to robbery, Husayn Khan
and his Shamlus fought with them, and took away their goods. And
they heard that in the land of Kech Makran(^) was much wealth, and
that Malik Dinar, the Governor of that land, was poor and harassed.
So they plundered that land, and set out for Shiraz with great booty .

The capture of Herat hy ^Uhayd Khan.

Now, after the Ghazis had gone, ‘Ubayd Khan entered Herat,
and became Sultan thereof. And the Uzbek rabble and exiles from
Samarqand did evil in Herat; so that if they thought a man of
Herat had a little wealth they hauled him before the Qazi, saying that
he had cursed the Companions in the days of the Qizilbashes. And
the wicked Qazi condemned him from the mouths of two false
witnesses ; nor made he any inquiry, but commanded that he be put
to death. Such men the Muhtasibs dragged to the Square, and killed

106

AHSAKTJ’T-TAWARIKH.

them, even as thieves. Many Sunnis were killed for their money as
Shras, and many Shi'as were left unhurt because they were poor.
And among those slain was Mawltoa HilalL(®)

The Shah's expedition against Baghdad, and the death of Zu'l-faqdr,

With a vast host the Shah set out for Baghdad, leaving his
summer quarters at Jurbadaqan ;(’^) and in the way others joined
him. And there was a great heat, for the sun was in the sign of
Cancer. When the Shah came to Baghdad Zu’l-faqar forgot his
duty, and they fought. And after some days ‘Ah Beg, the grandson
of Sufi Khalil Mawsilu, and his brother Ahmad Beg, servants of
Zu’l-faqar, on Thursday, the third day of Shawwal, fell upon ZuT-
faqar, and cut off his head, and brought it to the Shah. So Baghdad
was taken. Then the men of ZuT-faqar plunged into the Tigris, and
many were killed. And the Shah made ‘Ali Beg an Amir, and gave
him Jurbadaqan for his fief, and made Muhammad Sultan Sharafu’d-
din Governor of Baghdad and a Khan. And he entered Baghdad,
and proclaimed that no man should molest the Moslems. And envoys
from the Arab chiefs brought greetings and gifts.

Miscellaneous events.

This year the winter quarters were at Qazwin. After the taking
of Baghdad the Shah turned to Persian Traq. And he made Amir
KTImatullah Hilli joint Sadr with Amir Qiwamu’d-din.

Deaths.

Mawla^na Hilali wrote qasidas, ghazals, and masnavi verse, in a
style simple and elegant. Envious men charged him with having
attacked ‘Ubayd Khan in a quatrain ; moreover he was rich. So the
wicked Khan put him in prison, and, having tortured him much, had
him killed in the Square at Herat, though he had also praised him
in verse. He wrote a diwan of odes, The King and the Cat, Layla
and Majnun, and The Qualities of Lovers.

A.E. 986.

The Shah's expedition to Khurasan.

Now ‘Ubayd Khan set out for Farah. And Ahmad Sultan, the
Shah's Governor, was besieged. But ‘Ubayd found it hard to take the

AHSANU’T-TAWAEiKH.

107

fort, and returned to Herat. And there he heard of the coming of tho
Shah. Therefore he left Herat for Marv on the twenty-first day of
Zi 1-hijja ; and he sent envoys to stir up the princes of Turan. So
the Khans came in haste to Marv ; Then Abu Sa‘id Khan,(^) the Lord
of all the Uzbeks, said, 'We will not fight with the Qizilbashes. Do
thou fight with them with the army that thou hast, or be content
with thine own land. For whensoever we have fought with the
Qizilbashes, we have seen nought but loss.’

So 'Ubayd Khan despaired of help, and, when he knew of the
greatness of the Shah’s army, he fled to Bukhara. And the Shah,
when he heard that 'Ubayd Khan had come again to Khurasan and
had taken Herat, set out for Khurasan with his army and Chiefs and
arms. And envoys came fromr 'Ubayd with a letter. In it 'Ubayd,
acknowledging a letter from the Shah, expounded how the troubles
of Khurasan were because it had accepted the Shi'a faith. 'Ubayd
had no object other than the peace of the land; accidents, such as
that of the year before, were common in war; even the Prophet was
wounded at Uhud, but this was followed by many victories. The
future would make up for the past ; the flight from Herat was as the
flight of the Prophet from Mecca. Durmish, (^)who was one of his
own officers, had so lived at Herat that the people had forgotten
Sultan Husayn Mirza. In that King’s time mosques were turned into
stables and taverns ; these mosques ‘Ubayd had restored. If, in error
any Muslim had been wronged 'Ubayd was responsible. His quarrel
lay with those who had left the faith of their fathers and had accepted
heresy and error and become Shi'as. ^The worship of any but God
was infidelity. Such things the Shah had done, yet he admonished
them. 'All followed and accepted the earlier Khalifas ; the Shah’s
forefather Shekh Safiy was a Sunni ; strange it was that the Shah
followed neither 'Ali nor his own forefather. Let them beware who
accept heresy. Soon the Chiefs of Samarqand and Tashkand and
Turkistan, Andijan, Hisar-i-Shadman, Balkh, Shiburghan, with
mighty armies, would come. 'Ubayd had no quarrel with the Sh^h
if he followed his own forefather; but if he left the straight path,
then 'Ubayd must fight. Thereupon the Shah dismissed the envoys
with a robe of honour, and they returned to 'Ubayd, who, when he
knew that the Royal army was more than seventy thousand men, fled
to Bukhara. And the Shah marched to Herat, and took it ; and he

108

AHSANXj’T-TAWAEiKH.

left his brother Bahrain Mirza there with Ghazi Khan Takalu for his
Adviser. Thereafter, on the sixteenth day of the first month of
Rabr, he departed for ‘Iraq. And, going through the dreadful
desert of Tabas, he reached Isfahan.

Miscellaneous events.

Now, before the Shah left for Khurasan, he was at Sharafabad of
'Qazwin. The Ustajlus, namely Mantasha Sultan, Qazaq Sultan and
Qazuq Sultan, were received. This year, too, Din Muhammad,
the brother of Zaynish, came to Sabzawar with a thousand horse.
But he was met by Aghziwar Sultan with a hundred horse, who killed
him and some of his Uzbeks, and sent their heads to the Court. This
year Ghiyasu’d-din Mansur bin Amiy Sadru’d-din Muhammad was
made joint Sadr with Amir Ni‘matullah.

Deaths,

Kuohum Khan bin Abu’l-Khayr bin Dawlat Shekh Ughalan bin
Ilti Ughalan bin Pulad Ughalan bin Ayba Khwaja bin Taghtay bin
Balghto bin Shayban bin Juji bin Chingiz, died at Samarqand, and
his son, Abh Sa‘id, became Khan in his place.

Amir Qiwamu’d-din Husayn Isfahani was old and weak, and
sometimes he fell into error, as in the matter of Mawlana Jalalu’d-din
Hafiz Tabrizi and Mawlana S'adu’d-din Khatib. The Amir made
both expect to be Khatib. When Mawlana Jalalu’d-din went to the
Amir to state his case, the Amir thought that he was S^adu’d-din?
and said, ‘ The claim of Jalalu’d-din is without reason. If I lead him
1)0 hope that I will appoint him, it is because he has supporters. But
be not troubled, for I will in no wise make him Khatib.’ So Jalal
knew what of a truth was in his mind, and ceased troubling about the
Khatib’ s place.

A,H, 937,

This year the Shah would summer at Kundaman.(^) Husayn
Khan Shamlu came from Shiraz, and he was honoured more than his
peers. And Choha Sultan in anger plotted his death and arranged a
least. But certain of the Royal servants told Husayn, and he came
with armed retainers. Then Choha fled to the palace ; and Husayn
pursued after him. And a fight was fought in the Shah’s tent ; and
two arrows shot by the Syrians hit the Crown. Zu’l-Qadar qurchis

AEtSANU’T-TAWAEIKH.

109

were on guard, and they joined the Shamlus. And a qurchi of the
Zu’l-Qadars, whose name was Masr, wounded Choha, so that he died.
But the Takaliis kept secret his death, and Husayn Khan Takalu,
who was near the camp, came to aid them. And all night they
fought, but the Shamlus could not succeed, and they fled, hopeless
and with shame, to the city of Isfahan ; and about three hundred young^
men were taken and killed by the Takalus, who set up Shah-Qubad,
Ohoha’s eldest son, to be Wakil in his stead. And poison was in the
hearts of the Takalus and they were rebellious. Therefore the other
tribes, Ustajlu and Rumlu and Zu’l-Qadar and Afshar, perforce with-
stood them. And, after some days, there was battle between them
hard, by the Imamzada Sahl ‘Ali.(^) Then Yahya Ughali, a well-
wisher of the Takalus, threw himself into the palace, seeking to bring
the Shah among the Takalus*. But, by the Shah’s command, he*
was put to death. Also the Shah commanded the slaying of the
whole tribe. So the Takalus mounted, and went to the palace.
But the qurchis fired upon them, and they fled, not laying hand to
sword or spear ; and many were slain ; and Dura Beg, their Qurchi
bashi, was also killed. Then they fled through desert and waste, and
reached Baghdad by way of Kurdistan, after toil beyond measure.
There Muhammad Khan Sharafu’d-din Ughali put Quduz Sultan and
others to death, and sent their heads to the Court. And the Shah
despatched a dress of honour to Husayn Khan, and sent for him.

Ulma Takalu goes to Turkey.

Now Ulma, Governor of Adarbayjan, thought to become Wakil
in Choha Sultan’s place, and he gathered seven thousand horsemen,,
and set out for the Court. The Shah was camped near Qidar Pay-
ghambar,(®) and marched swiftly against him. So Ulma(^) feared, and
threw himself into the fort, and took counsel with his friends. And
they said that he should appease the Shah, for it is folly to contend
with kings. So he sent Urkamz Zu’l-Qadar with gifts to Court.
But, after he had sent him, he was afraid ; for how can one gather the
harvest of good faith from the seed of wrong-doing ? And presents
came from Sulayman the Khwandgar. So, therefore, he set out for
Turkey.

The attack of the Uzbek Chiefs on Khurasan.

Qumish Ughalan, Tinash Bey, and Shekh Abu Sa'id Afrasiyab
crossed the river for a raid, and came from Sarakhs to Mashhad.

ilO

Ail^SANTT’T-TAWARtKH.

Mantasha Sultan was then Governor. He left for Nayshapur, and
joined Aghziwar Khan. And they two fell on the foe, who could not
withstand them, but fled across the black water. But Aghziwar and
Mantasha came up with them. And they made the river their defence,
and fired upon the Ghazis ; and a company of them crossed again
to attack. But Aghziwar fell on them, and slew some, and they fled
and were pursued. Then the Chiefs returned to Mashhad. There-
after they set out for the Court, whither they had been summoned.

Miscellaneous events.

The Shah conferred the title of AmiruT-umara on Husayn Khan
and ‘Abdullah Khan Ustajlu, sons(®) of the sisters of the* late
Shah. Winter quarters were at Tabriz. There Urkamz Beg ZuT-
Qadar, who had come from Ulma, was burnt. This year the writer,
Hasan-i-Rumlu, was born at Qum.

Deaths.

Babur Padshah bin ‘Umar Shekh bin Sultan Abu Sa‘id Mirza
bin Sultan Muhammad bin Mirza Miran Shah bin Sahib Qiran Amir
Timur Gurgan — most high-spirited and wise of the Sultans of that
family. Every year he spent seventeen thousand Tabriz tumans
in grants to the deserving, nor was any man turned away from his
Court. He was forty-nine years old when he died, and had been
King for thirty-eight years. His kingdom was at first Farghana
and Samarqand; and, when he lost Transoxiana, Qandahar, Agra,
Lahore, Kabul, Delhi, and Badakhshan. He died at Agra, and was
succeeded by Humayun, When Muhammad Zaman heard of his
death, he rebelled. But the King attacked his camp on the Ganges
river, and took him, and imprisoned him in a fort. After a time he
escaped, and at last he came to the King’s Court in destitution and
was forgiven.

A.H. 938.

Now when Ulma reached Turkey he constrained Sultan Sulay-
man to fight against the Shah. So Fil Pasha was sent with Ulma
and fifty thousand horse against Sharaf Khan, Ruler of Bitlls.
Sharaf Khan left his son, Shamsu’d-din Khan, at Bitlls, and fled to
the Shah, who came against the enemy. And when the Turks heard
of the coming of the Shah, they despaired of taking Bitlls, and

ahsanu’t-tawSrikh.

Ill

retreated. And Div Yadgar Eujaki told the Shah of the Turkish
retreat at Qara Tughuz Dara.(^) And His Majesty returned, and
made Tabriz his winter quarters.

'Uhayd KharCs siege of Bdhram Mlrza at Herat.

On the twenty-ninth day of Ramazan 'Ubayd Khan camped
outside Herat. And first he cut off the water, and prevented food
from entering the fort. Then Ghazi Khan commanded the needy
to leave the city, and he appointed rough Turks at the gates and
roads to find out the goods of the folk. And they tore up old pillows
and coverlets, and searched for treasure and coin within them. Prom
each family they took three hundred Tabriz dinars, and turned them
out. And many Ghazis left Ghazi Khan, and went over to ‘Ubayd,
who treated them well. And al) that time he sent verses to Khwaja
Amir Beg, the Wazir of Ghazi Khan, who answered in spirited lines.
Then Ghazi Khan commanded that search should be made in the
houses of those that had left. And the Ghazis and cruel Turkmans
searched, and whatsoever they found they took. And there was
famine, and men ate the flesh of cats and dogs, and boiled old
leather and ate it ; and they fed their asses on leaves. But the Uz-
beks, unknown to ‘Ubayd Khan, would sell lean horses to the garri-
son. Then the Ghazis grew weak, and could not walk save with
sticks. And one day when Bahram Mirza sab with Ghazi Khan,
there came two men of repute before him; and each claimed the
body of a dog, saying he had killed it. And Ghazi Khan arose, and
cut the dog in two, and gave half to each.

Then Kaskan Qara Sultan and JanI Beg Sultan, Governor of
Balkh, came to help ‘Ubayd Khan. But they made friends with the
Qizilbashes, and sent to Bahram Mlrza a fatted lamb and a colt. And
their servants brought horses, and gave them to the Ghazis. So,
therefore, ‘Ubayd sent envoys to urge peace. But Bahram Mlrza
and Ghazi Khan demanded that he should withdraw two marches,
and let them go to Traq. But he would not, saying that they should
pass below his tent-ropes. Then after some days, Atallq Abu Sa‘id,
the King of Samarqand, came, and spoke of peace ; but it was vain.
So, when the siege had lasted a year and a half, the coming of the
Shah was noised abroad, and on the fourteenth day of the first Rabr
939 A.H. ‘Ubayd Khan fled.

112

A]p[SANU"T-TAW5RiKH.

The war of the Ghazis with the Uzbeks,

The Uzbeks fell upon Bistam. And Zu’l-Qadar Sultan, (®) Gover-
nor of Damaghan, sent to the camp of the Giraylis(^) for help, and
they joined him. They fell upon the Uzbeks, and overthrew them ;
and Qara Haydar slew many with the sword ; and certain men they
took, and sent them to the Court.

Miscellaneous events.

Mir Ghiyasu'd-din Mansur was dismissed from being Sadr, and
Amir Muizzu’d-din Muhammad Isfahan! was set in his place. Ahmad
Beg Nur Kamal was made Wazir of the Diwan. Amir Qiwamu’d-din
Ja^far of Sawa, the Shah’s Wazir, was killed at Ribat-i-Nikpay,

A.H, 93^.

Early this year on the fourteenth day of Sha'ban Qumish
Ughalan Uzbek fell upon the camp of Muhammad Khan Zu’l-Qadar
Ughali, who was at Chaman-i-Makhur in Sawukh Bulagh and carried
off his kit. So the Shah set out for Astarabad with Badr Khan.
When Ilqas reached Bistam, he thought good to march with speed on
Astarabad. So Badr Khan and Ilq^s, with fifteen hundred horsemen,
marched ; and before dawn they reached Astarabad, and caught the
greater part of the Uzbeks returning from the baths, and slew them.
And Qumish Ughalan hardly escaped to Marv. The Ghazis slew five
hundred, and also his four brothers, and sent their heads to the
Court. And Ilqas and Badr Khan abode at Astarabad.

The third exf edition of the Shah to Khurasan and the flight of
'Ubayd Khan.

Now the Shah set out for Khurasan. Sufiyan Khalifa Rumlu
with two hundred horsemen moved from Zawiya-i- Karkh(^) towards
Sabzawar, where was Khan Klldi Xlzbek with four thousand. The
Sufis made attack by night, and killed one hundred and fifty Uzbeks,
and set out for Nayshapur. And they overcame the Uzbeks there, and
went towards Mashhad. In that province was ‘Abdu’l-'aziz SuRan
with eight thousand horse. At that time Husayn Khan Shamlu,
Ighziwar Khan Shamlu, and Amir Sultan Rumlu (^) parted from the
Shah, and went to help Khalifa. So ‘Abdu’l-^aziz fled to Herat;
also ‘Ubayd fled, as has been written. On the twenty-second day of

AJ^SANU’T-TAWARiKH.

113

the first Jumada, the Shah entered Herat, and abode in the City
Garden. And he received the chief men. Then he punished Ghazz
Khan and his servants, for that they had spoiled the people in the
days of the siege. And Husayn Khan, Mantasha Sultan, and Amir
Sultan Rumlu, were sent to conquer Gharjistan. And they subdued
that land and returned.

Miscellaneous eveyits.

Again Ulma attacked Bitlis.(^) And Sharaf Khan, with Hasan
Beg Ohota, and Qilij Beg PazukJ, and the Chiefs of Kurdistan, fought
a brave fight at Nahi, and drove back the foe. But Sharaf Khan
was killed, and Ulma conquered Bitlis. This year the Shah for-
bad (^) all breaches of Islamic law, and he stopped fermented drink and
music, and did away with taverns and gambling dens and brothels.
Herat was given to Sam MlrzS,, and Aghziwar Khan Shamlu was
made his guardian. On the eleventh day of Zi’l-qa^da the Shah left
Herat, intending to attack Balkh. And for forty days he stayed at
Ulang-i-Nishin.

Deaths,

Abu Said Khan bin Kuchum Khan bin Abu’l-Khayr died at
Samarqand ; and his brother, ^Abdu’l-latif Khan, took his place.

A,H. 940, First expedition of Sultan Sulayman against Adarhdyjmi.

Now Ulma kept sending messengers, saying that the Shah was
afar off in Transoxiana. And the Sultan hearkened to his words,
and got ready his armies, and set out for Tabriz, and sent in advance
Ibrahim Pasha, the Grand Wazir, with ninety thousand men. And
Ibrahim sent Ulma ahead with ten thousand. Then Khwaja Shah
‘ Quli, the Wazir of Musa Sultan, (^) together with Ahmad T^basi, sent
envoys to the Turks, calling them to Tabriz, and agreed with Ulma
and noised it abroad that Pira Sinan Ughali was coming at daybreak
to the city. So the Ghazis and townsfolk hastened to meet them,
and Ulma and the Turkish leaders entered the city. Then Ibrahim
Pasha and his nobles arrived near Tabriz, and sent Ulma towards Ar-
dabil, and Khusraw Pasha to capture the fort of Alanchiq.(^) Thus
they took most of the cities of Adarbayjan. But soon after the news
came that the Shah was coming with his army from Khurasan, and
had reached Ray. And Ibrahim Pasha was afraid and sent to the
Sultan, saying that Musa Sultan had left Tabriz and gone to Traq but
8

114

Ai^SANU’T-TAWARiKH,

that the Shah was coming and they could not withstand him. Then
Sultan Sulayman purposed to attack Tabriz, and he joined Ibrahim
Pasha. And they turned towards Traq.

Now the Shah heard of the Turkish attack when he was yet at
Ulang-i-Nishin. And he marched against the enemy, and sent Man-
tasha Sultan and Ughalan Khalifa, Qurchibashi, ahead to be the
advance guard, and himself too marched against the foe. They
reached Kabud Gumbadf) in twenty-one marches, though many
beasts perished. But the Chiefs were afraid at the presence of Sulay-
man, and because of .their own weariness, and the smallness of their
army, which did not exceed seven thousand men. And Ghazi Khan
was at variance with the other Chiefs. Then Bahram Mirza, Ilqas
Mirza, and Husayn Khan were sent forward towards Tabriz . The Royal
Camp reached Qazwin, and then set out for Abhar. And when they
came to Qara Aghach they met Ibrahim Pasha and a battle began.
Now certain of the Chiefs — Husayn Khan and Ghazi Khan and Malik
Beg of Khuy were rebellious, and therefore there was no great com-
bat. But Bahram Mirza and Amir Sultan and Sulayman Sultan
strove with them till nightfall. And when the Shah heard of the
quarrel of the Chiefs he set out to stop it by his authority. And
at this time Zu’l-Qadar Ughali Muhammad Khan showed his inborn
wickedness, and because of the enmity that he had in his heart on
account of his father, blind Shahrukh, he joined Qiya Sultan and
Husayn Sultan, son of Burun Sultto Takalu, and left the Shah.
And this thing ruined the army ; for the Shah no longer trusted any
of his Chiefs. And he put off battle for some days.

But when the Khwandgar reached Sultaniyya the winter set in
early, and many beasts and men in the Turkish army perished. And
the Sultan gave up his plans, and set out for Baghdad. Then the
Shah marched from Qara Aghach and camped at Ribat-i-Dtog,(^) and
crossed over to Darjuzln. At that village Alwand Khan Afshar
joined the camp with a thousand horse. And the Shah sent Mahmud
Agha Uchibashi to take prisoners to tell how the matter was. At
Kalakan of Kharqan the Ghazis came up with the enemy, and caught
five men, and took them to the Court. Prom them it was learned
that the Sultan was making for Baghdad, (^) and had sent Ulma to
Tabriz. Therefore the Shah marched against Ulma. And Ghazi
Khan Takalu rebelled and fled to Tabriz, and told Ulma how the

AHSANU’T-TAWSRiKH.

115

Shah was coming. So they took refuge in the fort of Wan. And the
Shah came against Wan. And when they fought a certain man,
whose name was Div Mustafa, came out of the fort and challenged
the Qizilbash soldiers. And Dalv, the Standard-bearer, came from
the Persian army. And they fought. Then a certain Div Tarkhan
came to the help of the Persian, whereat Div Mustafa fled back to the
fort. For the rest of the winter they dwelt beneath the fort, while
the Khwandgar went to Baghdad. Muhammad Khan Sharafu’d-din
Ughali, being ordered by the Shah, left Baghdad. For Ibrahim
Pasha had sent messengers from Mawsil to Muhammad Khan, speak-
ing of peace, and saying that he should give up the fort. But
Muhammad Khan would not, but took counsel with the Takalu
leaders. And they would niot go to the Shah, but fortified the
Madrassa, and rebelled. Then Muhammad Khan thought to attack
them, but Sayyid Beg Kamuna permitted it not. And Muhammad
Khan was afraid, and sent a company of archer qurchis with Budaq
Beg and Kupuk Alan with the keys of Baghdad to the Sultan. And
he himself broke the bridge and fled with much toil to Basra and
Dizful. And Sultan Sulayman would have wintered at Mawsil, but
the servants of Muhammad Khan, who brought the keys, took him to
Baghdad, and he wintered there.

Miscellaneous events.

At Khabushan Sufiyan Khalifa Rumlu’s Sufis fought with Darwish
‘All Mughul, who had come to plunder, and slew one hundred and
fifty men. And they made a night attack on Sayyidam Mirza in
the fort of Kalat, and slew many Uzbeks. But, when they were
returning, they lost two hundred men, who fell down a hill. And,
knowing how they were weakened, eighteen hundred horsemen of
Darwish 'Ali fell upon them. But these they overthrew, killing four
hundred.

Deaths,

Shekh 'All bin 'Abdu’l 'All Mujtahid(®) died on Saturday, the
seventeenth day of Zi’l-hijja. Among his works are a commentary on
the Alfiya ; Risala-i-Ja'fariyya ; a commentary on Irshad ; Hashiya-i-
Sharayi' ; Sharh-i-luma'a.

Husayn Khan bin 'Abdi Beg Shamlu, brother of Durmish Khan,
became Wakil after Choha’s death. This year the Shah turned from

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AHSANTj’T-TAWARiKH.

him, and his evil works made him hate him the more. Such was the
plot to poison the Shah contrived by Bashadan Qara, a Shamlu and
a friend of Husayn Khto. But the Shah, by his shrewdness, or by
inspiration from above, came to know of it. Then that bad man fled
to Transoxiana, when he knew that his plot was known. lAnd many
said that this evil thing was ordered by Husayn Khan ; and the Shah
believed it. Moreover, by the temptation of Satan and his own self-
ish lusts, he tried to make men favour the making of Sam Mirza
king. The Shah sent him away to scout, and Hasan Agha, his
servant, told the Shah that he would join the Turkish army. So the
Shah sent for Husayn, and signalled for him to be cut to pieces.
And his army was given to Bahram Mirza, and his head was fixed on
a spear by Qambar Ughall, and taken through the camp.

Amir Ni‘matullah, a Sayyid of Hilla, was thought by some, and
boasted himself to be, a Mujtahid, but the learned did not accept
him. He was so sharp of wit that men above him in the ranks of
learning could not meet him. Oft-times would he argue, on a matter
of which he knew nought, in such fashion that men thought him an
adept therein. He was a pupil of ^All bin ‘Abdu’l 'Ali, the Seal of
the Mujtahids. But he requited his teacher with evil. And he went
to Shekh Ibrahim Qatifi for certain subjects of jurisprudence because
the ‘ Seal ’ hated Qatifi. Once, with the support of certain retainers
and nobles, he was fain to argue with the ‘ Seal ’ regarding Friday
prayers without an Imam or a Deputy Imam. And in this matter
there were with him certain learned men, such as Qazi Musafir(^) and
Mawlana Husayn of Ardabil, and others who were at enmity with the
' Seal’. And Chiefs and Ministers, such as Mahmud Beg, the Keeper
of the Seal, and Malik Beg of Khuy, supported him. At this time
wicked men threw a writing with charges against the ' Seal,’ in the
writing of an unknown person, behind his house near the Nasariyya
retreat in Sahibabad of Tabriz. And the Shah tried to find out the
writer ; and it was found that the Mir had knowledge of this. At
last his feud with the ‘ Seal ’ led to his being banished, and made to
go to Baghdad. And the Governor of that place, Muhammad Khan
Takalu, was commanded to prevent his meeting with Shekh Ibrahim
Qatifi and the other enemies of the ‘ Seal.’ And the ' Seal ’ and the
Mir died within ten days of one another.

Now the Shekh’s power to work miracles can be seen in such a

A^S ANXj’T-TAWARfKH .

117

matter as this. Mahmud Beg, the Keeper of the Royal Seal, was, on
a Friday evening, playing at polo in the Sahibabad square. The
' Seal ’ was cursing his wickedness, and reciting the prayer attributed
to the Imam 'Abdullah al-Husayn, and had not finished the second
prayer, but was at the words ' His death is nigh, and his son is
orphaned ’ when Mahmud Beg, as he played, fell from his horse, and
was killed.

Mawltoa Lisam’s(^) poetry is well-known. He died this year
and was buried at Surkhab.

A,H, 941. Second attach of Sultan Sulayman on Adarhayjan.

Now when the Sultan was free of Baghdad he turned again to
Adarbayjan, and the Shah left Wan and set out for Tabriz. And
there Malik Beg of Khuy, the last of the traitors, was punished.
One Div Khurram left the Sultan, and brought news of the Turkish
army to the Shah. The Shah set out for Sultaniyya, and reached
Darjuzin, from whence he sent Amir Sultan Rumlu and Chiragh
Sultan Ustajlu to spy out the Sultan’s position. They reached the
Turkish camp at a village of Darjuzin, and were attacked. Only the
men of Amir Sultan, to the number of two hundred, fought bravely.
The Chiefs drove their horses against the Turks, and overthrew a
number, and cut off their heads, and took them to the Shah, un-
pursued. And when Sultan Sulayman heard that so small a number
of Qizilbashes fought thus, it was a grief to him. And he rebuked his
Chiefs saying, that they could not take even two hundred Qizilbashes.
And he passed by Darjuzin to return to Turkey. Then the Shah sent
Bahram Mirza, Mantasha Sultan, Amir Sultan, Shah Quli Khalifa,
Keeper of the Seal, Muhammad Amin Beg Sufrachi, and a company of
footmen and gate-keepers, after Ibrahim Pasha, and himself made for
the fort of Wan, where were the Sultan’s men who fled on the Shah’s
approach. On the twentieth day of the first month of Rabi', the Shah
entered the Wan meadows, and took the fort. The Sultan had sent
Muhammad Pasha, Amiru’l-umara of Diyarbakr with a company of
Chiefs, such as Ulma Takalu, Rustam Beg, Div Parwana, Ahmad
Beg, Mustafa Beg, Badr Beg, Idris Pasha, and Malik Uways Sultan,
and two thousand Janissaries and ten thousand horsemen to help the
defenders. On the afternoon of Thursday, the twenty-fourth day of
the first month of Rabi', they were met at Wustan by a company of

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ahsanxj’t-tawaeIkh.

Turkman qurchis, who killed certain of them, and caught three
persons, and sent them to the Shah. And they came as he was
mounting his horse. He set out for Wustan, and found that the
enemy had gone to Kawash.

And he followed by that hard way and overtook them on a
mountain. And with him were but two thousand men ; for the rest
had slept on the way. Then Ulma said they could not fight with
the Shah, or withstand him ; but Muhammad Pasha agreed not, but
prepared to fight, and kept his Janissaries in front of the line. And
in the meantime Budaq Beg Wakil Zu’l-faqar by God’s grace fled
from among them, and came to the Shah. Then Ghazi Khan
Zu’hQadar(^) with a company of Turkman and Zu’l-Qadar qurchis
attacked the Turks, and slew four hundred in the twinkling of an eye
and cut off their heads, and cast(^) t^em before the Shah’s horse.
And he captured others, such as Div Parwana and the Khwand-
gar’s Qurchibashi, and Muhiy(?) Chalabi. The rest were pursued as
far as Bitlis, and the Ghazis took all their gear. Then Bahram
Mirza and other nobles set out for Ar3ish,(^) and the defenders of that
fort engaged them. The Ghazis killed about twenty ; but the rest
entered the fort and sent to the Sultan for help. So the Sultan sent
Sinto Pasha, Darzi 'Ali, Haji Pasha, and Yahya Beg, the Amir of the
Sanjaq, with many men to help them. But Budaq Khan Qajar met
their army and overthrew it. And Sinan Pasha and a hundred men
were killed, and their heads taken to the Wto meadow. Then the
Sultto sent the best of his army under Ibrahim Pasha, who sent a
party to fight with Bahram Mirza. But they were overthrown, and
certain men were captured and taken to Bahram Mirza. Thereupon
Ibrahim left the fort, and retreated; and the Shah conquered the
districts of Wan and Arjish, and entrusted the government of that
country and the kotwalship of the fort to Ahmad Sultan Sufi Ughali.

The rehellion of Sam Mirza and Aghziwar^ and their going to
Qandahdr, and their defeat at the hands of Mirza Kamrdn,

Now, after the Shah left Herat, Sam Mirza and Aghziwar ruled.
And Aghziwar strove to improve the army and the people. And
after about six months news of the death of Husayn Khan and the
ruin of the Shamlus reached Herat. And Aghziwar feared that it
would be for him as it was for Husayn Khan. At this time Bashadan

AHSANU’T-TAWAEiKH.

119

Qara and Yuzi Qara fled from Transoxiana to Sam and Aghziwar
and stirred them up to rebel. So their men robbed houses and, with
the Khan s leave, took what they saw and tortured men for what was
buried. And on the fifteenth day of Sha‘ban they set out for Qanda-
har, leaving at Herat Khalifa Sultan, CM ef of.^the Stable s, and
Mahmud Beg and Ummat Beg. At Farah, Murad Sultan, being
forced to meet Aghziwar, was slain.

Now, when they reached Qandahar, Khwaja Kalto,(^) Mirza
Kamran’s Governor, took the people into the fort, and strengthened
its towers and ramparts. And Sam and Aghziwar besieged it. Then
Khwaja Kalto came out to give battle, but Aghziwar slew many of
his men, and drove the remnant to the gates of the fort. And when
the siege had lasted for some time Khwaja Kalan sent for help to
Mirza Kamran who was at Lahore. So Mirza Kamran went to Huma-
yun Padshah, and gathered an army from the land of Hindustan, and
set out for Qandahar. And they came to Kabul, and Qara j a Beg was
sent ahead. And from thence they marched against Sam Mirza and
Aghziwar. And the Qizilbash army had gone back a day’s journey.
Then Mirza Kamran gathered together his leaders and took counsel
with them. And Khwaja Kalan was for battle, and all the leaders
agreed. So Mirza Kamran marched from outside Qandahar against
the camp of Sam Mirza, seven leagues from Qandahar. And Sam
Mirza placed Aghziwar on the right wing, Lai Sultan Afshar on the
left, and himself in the centre. On the other side Mirza Kamran
with twenty thousand men was over against Sam Mirza, with whom
were but two thousand. And Aghziwar attacked Khwaja Kalan, the
leader of the enemy’s left wing, and put his men to flight, and wound-
ed and unhorsed Khwaja Kalan; but because of the strength of his
body he received no great hurt. Then Sam Mirza fell upon Qara j a
Beg, the leader of the left wing, and drove him back ; but he, when
he came to the centre, returned and attacked. Aghziwar came to
help the Prince, but his horse’s leg stuck fast in a hole, and, though
he plied his spurs, it could not get it out. And a certain man of the
Chaghatay army saw him and threw him from his horse, and brought
him to Kamran Mirza, by whose command he was killed. So when
Aghziwar was slain Sam Mirza lost heart and fled to the hot country.
And after so great a victory Mirza Kamran returned to Lahore. And
Sam Mirza put to death Bashadan Qara and others of the rogues of

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AflISAlinj’T-TAWAElKH.

Yuzl Qara and sent their heads to the Shah, and asked for pardon,
saying that they had stirred him up and he repented.

The battle of Sufiyan Khalifa with ‘Ubayd Khan’s Chiefs.

This year Shekh Abu Sa‘id Afrasiyab, and Qaraja Bahadur, and
Sayyidam Mirza, with four thousand and five hundred horse, came;
and Sufiyan Khalifa met them near Zawa and fell upon them, coming
by a circuitous path. And the Uzbeks were overthrown, and two
hundred and fifty were slain. Shekh Abu Sa‘id hid himself in a hole,
and got a horse from the headman of Jam and fied away to Bukhara.
And Sufiyan Khalifa set out for Khwaf and overthrew a body of a
thousand Uzbek horse sent by -Ubayd to plunder that country, and
killed two hundred of them.

Bayrdm Ughalan makes attack on Khurasan ; his loar with Khalifa
Sultan Shdmlu ; the Ghdzis are overthrown.

Now when Sam Mirza and Aghziwar departed for Qandahar,
KJiallfa Sultan Shamlu, being then more than eighty years old, sat
on the throne of State ; and Mahmud Beg and Ummat Beg had fitting
posts. Then the weakness of the first, and the wickedness of the
other two, were spread abroad. So Bayram Ughalan, the Governor
of Gharjistan for Kaskan Qara Sultan bin Jani Beg Sultan, gathered
an army and marched to plunder the country of Herat. And he got
much booty. Then the headmen and Wazirs and Chiefs took counsel
together. Mahmud Beg thought it good not to leave the city, but
Amir Sultan Ibrahim Amini and others agreed not with this wise
plan. And it was commanded that the headmen of the city and the
district should gather armed men to join the Ghazis. Ibrahim and
Shah Muhammad Jamabaf and Shadi Muhammad ‘Asas marched out
on the nineteenth day of ZiT-qa^da, while Mahmiid Beg was left with
a few men to guard the city. Near Istifzar,(®) being ten legal leagues
from Herat and in the country of the Heri River, they saw the enemy.
Then those who had wished Khalifa Sultan to go out repented and
were afraid. And Bayram Ughalan fell upon them; but Khalifa
Sultan’s men were from the district and mean, and they trusted not
their leader; wherefore they shrank from fighting. And Khalifa
Sultan, Amir Sultan Ibrahim Amini, and nine hundred men, were
slain. And Bayram Ughalan out off their heads and departed for

AHSANTj’T-TAWSRiKH.

121

Gharjistan. And this year the Shah wintered at Tabriz. And he
put to death Alwand Khan Afshar.(®)

A.H. 942* Sufiyan Khalifa, Rumlu goes to Tide oveT Herat.

After this Ummat Beg and the men of Marv sent to call Sufiyan
Khalifa Rumlu, Governor of Mashhad. And, leaving his son and
followers in Mashhad, he departed for Herat, and entered therein on
the fourth day of Muharram and was met by Mahmud Beg and
Ummat Beg and the Ghazis and citizens, and camped in the City
Garden. But, after the toil of the road, evil men got hold of him, and
he did evil and his officers tyrannized over the people, saying that
every ear of corn had many grains. And he sent for persons who
had, as he supposed, goods, saying that last night one of the Holy
Imams had appeared and had said ''Such an one has money; it
should be taken for the Ghazis.’’ And the fool would weep, so that
men thought his words were true. Then they took the man, and
tortured him and took the money from him. So, when the Shah
heard of the wickedness of Sufiyan Khalifa, he dismissed him from the
governorship, and appointed Sultan Muhammad Mirza, with Muham-
mad Khan Sharafu’d-din as his guardian.

The war of Sufiyan Khalifa Bumlu with ^Ubayd Khan, and the
defeat of the Ghazis.

Then 'Ubayd Khan crossed the Oxus, and set out for Mashhad.
When the citizens heard of this they applied themselves to strengthen-
ing the fort, and the wife of Sufiyan Khalifa laboured beyond
measure. For she visited the towers and ramparts day and night.
When 'Ubayd Khan brought war to the gates his men were smitten
by the Ghazis and the citizens and went back. And, when Sufiyan
Khalifa heard that Mashhad was besieged, he departed from Herat,
leaving there Khizr Chalabi, his agent, and the fool Nuru’d-din
Muhammad Isfahan!, commanding them to collect four Tabriz
tumans from each man, before he, Sufiyan, returned. At Fushanj(^)
Sufiyan filled a bag with straw, saying he would stuff 'Ubayd’s skin
with it, when he took him. And 'Ubayd doubted whether to meet
him or not, not wishing to do so because he was a Chief of the
Shah. Furthermore he had heard that he was mad, and his madness
increased in battle ; nor cared him for great numbers, but oft-times,

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AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

with two or three thousand, he had overcome the Uzbek armies.
And 'Ubayd took counsel with his Chiefs. And some said, ''Fight
not with one of Shah Tahmasp’s Chiefs. Why hast thou left Bukhara
to take his land ? ” Then 'Ubayd set out against the camp of
Sufiyto Khalifa. And Sufiyan fell in with certain Uzbeks, and killed
thirty, and camped at 'Abdulabad. Then an Uzbek chief, who had
been taken, admonished him, saying that he should return to Herat,
for 'Ubayd Khan had a host beyond number, nor could he withstand
him. But he hearkened not. Now, on the morning of Thursday, the
twentieth day of Rajab, 'Ubayd Khan appeared. In the van were
'Abdu’l-'aziz Sultan, 'Ubayd’s son, and 'Ali Sultan, and Aqsh Sultan.
And Sunjuk Muhammad Sultan and a company of Uzbeks attacked
Sufiyan Khalifa’s camp. And he went to meet them, like a man who
thinks to dam the ocean with a handful of dust. And he went alone
with five or six men to behold 'Ubayd’s army, but ‘Ali Sultan
Khwarazmi shot an arrow at his horse and made him go back to his
men. Then 'Ubayd Khan moved from the centre, and fell upon him ;
and the battle began. And his men could not withstand the Uzbeks,
and the fool, with a few men, flung himself into the deserted village
of 'Abdulabad. And 'Ubayd Khan surrounded it. The Ghazis ate
their horses; but the Uzbeks, after thirty-five days’ siege, pushed
forward their ramparts, and made shelters, and took that place.
And Sufiyan Khalifa was carried alive to 'Ubayd Khan, and he
handed him over to be killed to Tinash Bey, whose son had been
killed in a fight with Sufiyan’s men. One who was present says that
when he was being carried off on the horse of an Uzbek Sufiyan
Khalifa hid his head behind the Uzbek’s back, and they could not
raise it to see his face.

The capture of Herat by ^Uhayd Khan from Khizr Ghalabt.

After Sufiyan Khalifa’s departure from Herat Nuru’d-din
Muhammad Isfahan! robbed the people. And they rode against him,
and killed him in the baths. When news of Sufiyan Khalifa’s defeat
came, Khizr Chalabi and Amir Hasan Qazi strove to strengthen
the city, and gathered together the citizens and men of the districts
for the city’s defence. But most of them were against them,
especially Khwaja Ahmad Ziyaratgahi, and his brother Khwaja
Mubarak, and Khwaja Qasim. For Sufiyan Khalifa had set up a

AHSAKtr’T-TAWARiKH.

123

gibbet in the Square, whereon to hang them, but he could find no
occasion. Khwaja Mubarak spoke to Khizr Chalabi and Amir Hasan
Qazi, urging them to rebel. And one day Muhibb Mikal, the
Kalantar of the city, sent a man secretly to Khwaja Ahmad, asking
for men to help him against Khizr and Amir Hasan, and saying that
‘Ubayd Khan should be sent for. But the secret became known to
great and small. And Amir Abu T^hir, son of Amir Sultan Ibrahim
Amini, heard of it, and told Khizr Chalabi, who sent for the rebels. So
Khwaja Mubarak fled ; but Muhibb Mikal was taken, and a most shame-
ful death was his. And the Chiefs of Herat, though they had not been
with them, were imprisoned in the fort of Ikhtiyaru’d-din. Then
the men of the district rebelled, and made for the Firuzabad
gate, and hearkened not to Khizr Chalabi, when he sent messengers to
admonish them, but attacked. ^And a certain miller smote upon the
gate with his sword. But the swords of the Ghazis made their
sedition abate ; and they fled and sent to call 'Ubayd Khan. And
w'hile he was coming, certain traitors came to the gate, and fought,
but they were overcome by the Ghazis, and put to flight. On the
eighteenth day of Eamazan ‘Ubayd Khan appeared outside Herat,
and camped in the Garden of Desire. And Khizr Chalabi set Ummat
Beg at the Traq gate, and himseh stayed at the head of the defenders
with certain Rumlu Ghazis, being ready to drive back the Uzbeks,
wheresoever they appeared. Then ‘Ubayd Khan surrounded the city,,
and cut off the entrance and exit thereof. But when the Uzbeks
came to the moat the Ghazis drove them back by musket fire, and
Khizr Chalabi and Amir Hasan Qazi fought from morn to eve. Thus
the fight lasted for about a month. But at last Abu Tahir, the son
of Sultan Ibrahim Amini, who had in his charge the defence of two
towers of the Khush gate, and was at enmity with Amir Hasan Qazi,
sent secretly to ‘Ubayd Khan, saying that, if he would give him a
fitting post, he would let the Uzbeks in through the tower that was
entrusted to him. So, on the twenty-seventh day of the month of
Safar, 943 a.h., when a third of the night had passed, he destroyed
the battlements of the tower, and set a ladder there, and brought
about three hundred Uzbeks within the fort. And the Ghazis fell on
them ; but the Uzbeks prevailed, and reached the gate, and opened it
and let in their comrades. And the army of Transoxiana entered
the city, and began to plunder the people. And Khizr Chalabi and

124

AHSAlSru’T-TAWARiKH.

liis men were besieged in the Ikhtiyar fort. Then the Uzbeks took
whatsoever they could find ; and they tortured the folk to make them
give up buried things. So that the cry of great and small went up
to heaven ; nor was the honour of the fair ones safe for an hour from
the savage Uzbeks. But 'Ubayd Khan sent Tinash Beg wdthin the
eity to keep the Turks from robbing Moslems. And he came into the
city, and made a proclamation that none should enter a house to
plunder. So the place was made quiet. Then the men of the district
seized Amir Hasan QazI, and threw him into a fire. And 'Ubayd
Khan conquered Khurasan, and slew all the Ghazis and Shi’as that
he could find, and turned to the fort of Ikhtiyaru’d-din. And his
envoys swore to protect Khizr Chalabi and Ummat Beg, and to touch
no man’s goods or family, if they handed over the fort and the goods
of Sufiyan Khalifa. So some left the fort of their own will, and
others were forced. At that time he sent his son Muhammad
Eahim(^) with a company of rogues to the men of the fort ; and they
stretched forth their hands against the goods of the men of the fort.
Straightway 'Ubayd Khan came, and he shot with an arrow one of the
men of Muhammad Rahim. Then Khizr Chalabi and Ummat Beg
name stripped, with their sons, and wives, to Sultan Husayn’s Rawza
•college. And ‘Ubayd Khan sent them to Bukhara, and they were all
slain no long time after. And every day he had five or six men put
to death in the Square for Shiism. And whatsoever villager or
oitizen was at enmity with a man, he took him, and brought him
before the Qazi, saying. This man, also, cursed Abu Bakr and ‘ Umar
and ‘Usman in the days of the Qizilbashes. And the Qazi commanded
him to be put to death on the word of two ignorant fellows ; and
they dragged him to the Square, and put him to death. And their
wickedness and their plundering were great in the land of Khurasan.

Miscellaneous events.

The Shah’s winter quarter were at Tabriz.

Deaths,

Padshah Sultan Khalil(®) bin Shekh Shah bin Farrukh Yasar bin
Amir Khalilullah bin Amir Shekh Ibrahim bin Sultan Muhammad bin
Kayqubad died on the ninth day of the first month of Jumada leav-
ing no sons. He reigned for twelve years in Shirwan ; and after his

A^SANU’T-TAWARiKH. 125

death, Shahrukh bin Sultan Farrukh bin Shekh Shah, who was a
minor, reigned.

Sufiyan Khalifa Rumlu came from Siwas, and ruled some years
in Khurasan. He had killed four thousand and eight hundred
Uzbeks in battle. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, he spent on
the twelve Imams, twelve maunds of sugar for sweetmeats, thirty
maunds of honey for sweetmeats, two hundred cones of sugar, twelve
sheep with their trappings, and two thousand dinars in cash.

Muzaffar Sultan, (^) Governor of Resht, left his province
treacherously when the Turks invaded Adarbayjan, and went over to
the Sultan. When they left, he set "out for Gilan. In his absence
Amira Hatim, his officer, conquered Resht. And a hard battle took
place between them at the village of , and Hatim had the

victory, and Muzaffar Sultan, in sore pain, got into a ship, and
wandered about the sea for some time, till he fell into a whirlpool at
Baku. Sultan Khalil, Governor of Shirwan, brought him to his place
and tended him. And Sultan Khalil was involved in his fall. The
Shah’s men seized and brought Muzaffar to Tabriz. Then the Shah
ordered the city to be adorned ; and singers met him and brought him
in, and at last he was put in an iron cage, and burnt.

Amir Sa‘du’d-dm Inayatullah Khuzani was distinguished above
all the Wazirs for his strength of judgment. This year the Royal
anger was kindled against him, because Tsa, son of Basiliq Beg, was
reported to have approached him with seditious purpose. And
therefore by the Shah’s command, on the day Muzaffar Sultan Gilani
was put in the cage, he was hung underneath the cage, and both were
burnt together.

Mawlana Ahli(°) of Shiraz died at Shiraz this year. Among his
poems is a reply to Khwaja Salman Sawaji’s ‘‘ Ornate Qasida,” and a
diwto of ghazals.

A.U, 948. The fourth invasion of Khurasan by the Shah.

Now this year messengers were ever coming, telling of ‘Ubayd
Khan’s evil deeds, and the Shah was angered, and he planned to set out
for Khurasan. He sent ahead Amir Sultan Rumlu, Sadru’d-din Khan
Ustajlu, and Sultan 'Ali Tati Ughali and Ghazi Khan Zu’l-Qadar from
Shiraz, and Shah Quli Khan Afshar from Kirman, and Husayn Jan
Sultan Rumlu, and Budaq Khan Qajar, and nobles from all the

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AHS ANTT’ T-T AW^ EiKH .

provinces, joined the Royal camp. The Shah moved in the direction of
Nisa and Abiward. Then Amir Sultan Rumlu, and Shah Quli
Khalifa, Keeper of the Seal, set out for Tabas fort, where was Sam
Mirza. And Sam Mirza was brought to Court, and forgiven; but
some of his men were killed.

The coming of the Shah to Khurasan and the flight of ‘Ubayd Khan,

After he had lived in Herat for fourteen months Hbayd Khan
thought to take Mashhad, and, leaving Darwish Beg, one of. his Chiefs,
at Herat, he marched. And, when he reached Bakharz district, he
heard that the Shah had moved towards Khurasan, So he sent out
men to inquire, and they caught a certain man bearing a letter from
a noble of Mashhad to his friend in Herat, wherein it was written
that Shah Tahmasp had come to Khurasan and was moving towards
Herat. So ‘Ubayd returned straightway to Herat. The same news
was given by a Qizilbash, caught by his patrols at Dara-i-gaz. And
'Ubayd Khan gathered together his Chiefs and said they should wait
and fight with the Qizilbashes, who had come in the midst of the
summer, and they would overthrow them, for they had suffered much
at Nisa and Abiward. But the Chiefs said they should leave Herat
and go to Bukhara, and, if he agreed not, they would seize him and
bear him off to Transoxiana. So on the seventeenth day of Sha'ban,
when the sun was in Aquarius, they fled towards Bukhara by an
unknown way through Balkh. And, after they had fled, the Shah
came and camped in Saq-i-Salman ; and next day came to the city by
the Avenue, and sat on the throne of Khurasan.

The expedition of the Shah to the Land of Ddwar and Qandahar,
and the conquest of that country.

At the end of the winter the Shah left Herat to attack Qandahar
leaving Sultan Muhammad Mirza and Muhammad Khan at Herat.
He set out on the tenth day of Zi’l-qa‘da. At the Helmand they
crossed, some by rafts and some by swimming. And by the Royal
command Amir Sultan Rumlu set out for Qandahar. When Khwaja
Kalan heard of the coming of the Persians he left Kachi Khwaja, one
of his relations and a trusty officer, at Qandahar and himself went to
Sind, and when the Royal army came near Kachi Khwaja and the

AHSANU’T-TAWAEiKH,

127

nobles went to meet them and were received* And that province was
given to Budaq Khan Qajar, and the Shah returned to Herat with
much booty. There envoys from ‘Ubayd Khan and Kaskan Qara,
the Governor of Balkh, were received, and returned home. And this
year Muhammad Khan(^) bin Uways Khan, and his brother ‘Ali Sultan,
descendants of Chingiz Khan, came to Court, and were given the
territories of Nisa and Abiward and their dependencies.

And before the Shah left for Khurasan Bahram Mirza(^) had been
sent to be Governor of Gilan. For, when Kar Kiya Sultan Hasan died
Khwar Kiya Taliqani, the Wakil of Sultan Hasan, came to Court and
agreed to conquer Gilan. Therefore the Shah sent Bahram Mirza
with many men to Gilan. But the Mirza, by the advice of fools,
stayed six months at Daylaman^ Meanwhile Kiya Khwar Kiya, with
five hundred bold men, threw himself into Lahijan. And Bahram
Mirza came to Lahijto, and eighteen Gilan Chiefs came to his Court,
and most of the country fell to him. Then Kiya Khwar Kiya
Taliqani, who was much thought of by the Gilan folk, was seized by
Bahram Mirza, So the people rose against the Mirza, and he was
overthrown and went to his summer quarters at Daryawuk ; and, a
few days after, he went to Qazwin. And Hasan-i-Eumlu, the writer,
was in Qazwin then, for Qazwin had been given as a fief to Amir
Sultan. So the writer and his mother went to meet Bahram Mirza,
and gave him tents and money, fine horses, and stuffs, as presents.
The leading men also made him offerings.

This year the Shah dismissed Amir Muizzu’d-din from being
Minister, and gave his place to Amir Asadullah, a Sayyid of
Shushtar.

The death of Khwaja Kalan Ghuriyani was also a thing that
then came to pass. When ‘Ubayd Khan came to Ghuriyto, the
Khwaja had met him with flattery, and spoke ill of the Shah. And
this being reported to the Shah, he commanded that he should be put
to death. And he was dragged to the Market Square at Herat and
flayed, and his skin was filled with straw, and set upon a post.

This year Kar Kiya Sultan Hasan bin Kar Kiya Sultan Ahmad
bin Sultan Hasan bin Kar Kiya Sultan Muhammad bin Nasir Kiya
bin Amir Sayyid bin Mahdi Kiy^, died of plague, and Amir ‘Abbas,
his minister, made his son, Khan Ahmad, a child one year old, sit in
his place.

128

AHSANTj’T-TAWARiKH.

A.H. 944, Return of the Shah front Khurasan,

Now when the affairs of Khurasan were well dealt with, the Shah
returned, and early in the second month of Jumada arrived near
Tehran. Then it was commanded that Amir Qiwamu’d-din Nur
Bakhsh(^) should be taken. For he had left his darwish state and did
evil, and lived as though he were a king, hunting with hounds and
cheetahs and shutting himself within his house. And whosoever was
displeasing to him was slain. So, when the King’s camp was hard
by the shrine of 'Abdu’l-‘azim he came to Court and took his seat
above all others. And the men of Ray, who for many years had
endured his oppression and were come to despair, complained. Then
QazI Muhammad, son of Qazi Shukrullah asked him if he were a
darwish or a king, and how it came eibout that he slew men so that
they forgot ‘Ubayd Khan and Qasim the executioner , and he began
to number the men that he had slain. Mir Fayzi also, the Marshall
of the Court, questioned him, asking why he sat above the son of
Sayyid Muhammad Kamuna. And the Shah said : — ' He saith right.
Rise, for this is not thy place.” Thus the Shah came to know that he
was an impostor, and commanded that he should be seized. And he
was imprisoned for some days in the house of Qazi-i-Jahan, and from
thence he was sent to the fort of Alanchiq. Early in the month of
Rajab the Shah went to Qazwin, and in the middle of Sha'ban to
Tabriz.

The Chiefs attach the fort of Ustd and take Khwdja Kaldn, (^)

Khwaja Kalan, son of Khwaja Malik KhanI, held the fort of
Usta, and he harassed those that passed by. Therefore, GhazI Khan
Zu’l-Qadar, Shah Quli Sultan Afshar, and 'Ali Sultan Tati Ughali,
were sent with an army to take the fort. Three months they fought
from morn till eve. Then a certain man of those trusted by Khwaja
Kalan, having quarrelled with the Khwaja, fled to the Chiefs, and
offered to show a way which only he and Khwaja Kalan and two
others knew. Let them attack that night and engage the foe ; let
them give him qtirchis. So they sent 'Ali Bayat and other Ghazis
with that man, while the rest fought. And the Ghazis entered the
fort. And when the men of the fort knew of this they were beside
themselves'; and they fought, and Khwaja Kalan, having killed two
or three Ghazis, was bound and brought down, and his men were slain.

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

129

And they sent him to Tabriz, and the Shah hung him from the
Nasariyya minaret, and he died miserably.

Events in Shirwan.

This year a Qalandar arose, saying he was Sultan Muhammad
bin Shekh Shah. And he gathered together an army and took Saliyan,
and from thence came to Shamakhi. Then Shahrukh fled to the fort
of Biqrid, and the Qalandar conquered Shamakhi. And when he left
that place for a purpose Shahrukh pursued after him, and met him
and overcame him and took him and had him slain with clubs.

Mawlana Ruknu’d-din Mas‘ud-i-Kazaruni was a learned physician,
but sometimes he did contrary to the rules of science, and his changes
were good. But he was ever^wont to interfere in political affairs.
This year the Minister, Muflzzu’d-din Muhammad Isfahan!, had a
desire in his heart which he could only gain by representing it to the
Shah. And the physician secretly informed the Shah, who was
angered and had the physician burnt and the Minister dismissed.

This year Kamran Mirza came to Qandahar with a great army
from Hindustan, and sent Qaraja Beg ahead. Budaq Khan Qajar
sent Shah Virdi Beg Ziyad Ughali to meet him. And they met near
the city and fought, and Shah Virdi, who had but few men, was taken.
So Budaq Khan was constrained to ask for peace. And they made a
treaty, whereby Qandahar was given to Kamran Mirza ; and Budaq
returned to the Shah’s Court. And Kamran treated Shah Virdi Beg
well, and let him go.

A.H. 945. The rebellion of Muhammad Salih Bitikchi{^) in Astarabad,
and his capture by Sadru'd-dln Khan's officers.

Now this year Muhammad Salih, son of Khwaja Muzaffar
Bitikchi, gathered together a band of black robed men at Astarabad,
and took certain towns, and sent presents to Khwarazm to 'Umar
Ghazi Sultan, (^) and asked for help. The Governor of Khwarazm
gathered his tribesmen together, and set out for Astarabad, and was
joined by Muhammad Salih and his black robed men, who came from
the forests of Jurjan. And when Sadru’d-din, the Governor of Astara-
bad, heard of this, he took counsel with his men, and they said they
could not meet* so many ; it were better to leave Astarabad and go to
Bistam, and send word to the Shah. So they did so, and Salih
9

130

AHSAKU’T-TAWARiKH.

entered Astarabad ; and ‘Umar Ghazi went back to Khiva, having
given him the rule over that land. And when the Uzbeks went,
Salih was drunk with pride and put a crown on his foolish head. And
trustworthy men say that he divided the world amongst his friends,
and they worshipped him ; but about this division they quarrelled.
And when the Shah heard of this from Sadru’d-din he commanded
that Amir Sultan Rumlu, Shah ‘Ali Ustajlu, Husayn Jan Sultan
Rumlu, and Hasan Beg Shamlu should go against Salih ; and they set
out. But Sadru’d-din marched of a sudden from Astarabad, and
surprised Salih, who was busy with music and wine. And Salih fled
to the forest, but Shah Virdi Beg Kungurlu, one of the Khan’s officers,
caught him. Thus Sadru’d-din ruled again in peace. It is said that
there was a Sayyid woman, the wife o| a Herat Qazi, separated from
her husband, and living at Astarabad with her mother. And her
mother died ; in the midst of her mourning she was seized and carried
off to Salih’s house. Nevertheless, Salih was a friend of learned men
and poets, and Mawlana Hayrati composed a qasida in his honour and
received seven loads of eilk and seven beasts as a reward. Sadru’d-
din sent Salih to Tabriz ; and they sewed up his mouth lest he should
speak with disrespect. He was put in a cask, and was cast from the
Nasariyya minaret.

The expedition sent hy the Shah to Shirwdn and the taking
of Shdhrukh.

Now the Shah heard of the misrule of Shahrukh, and of the
wicked deeds of his Chiefs, and the thieving of his army, and the
irreligion in that land, and the neglect of religious institutions. So,
therefore, he commanded that Ilqas Mirza, Mantasha Sultan Ustajlu,
Sunduk Beg Qurchibashi, Badr Khan Ustajlu, Ya‘qub Sultan Qajar,
Qarawall ‘Arabgirlu,(^) Muhammad Beg Talish, with the Qarabagb(^)
and Mughan army, and twenty thousand men of the Royal army,
should go with Radar Qurchibashi, who had come from Shirwan and
knew the ways to enter and to leave it, to take Shirwan. So these
■Chiefs set out, and gathered together boats and crossed the Kur.
And they came outside the fort of Surkhab near Kilid-i-Gilan. The
fort was defended, but it was taken at the first assault and its men
were captured and their goods were taken. Then men were sent
against fort Qabalah, which also was taken with its garrison, three

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

131

hundred in number. And the Chiefs thought to conquer Gulistan, the
strongest of the forts of Shirwan. The Governor, Ni'matullah Beg,
was besieged. And the Chiefs left a company above the fort and
turned to Biqrid. Shahrukh sent his Wakil, Husayn Beg, against the
Persians, but he was overthrown at the valley of Biqrid and took
refuge in the fort. The Qizilbashes took the fort of Gurji, which is
hard by Biqrid fort. But Badr Khan would not suffer the Ghazis to
enter Biqrid fort, of which the gate had been left open, thinking that
they would plunder. So the enemy was able to shut the gate and
defend the fort. And wicked Shahrukh and his foolish men, washing
their hands of all hope of life, defended bravely for nearly four months,
till at last the towers were destroyed by the guns. And at that time
Darwish Muhammad Khan, Go^'ernor of Shaki, gathered an army and
came to the fort, thinking to fall on the Persians by night. And he
beat his drums and raised his war cry, but Muhammad Beg Shir
Bakht Ughali Talish and certain qurchis withstood him, and most of
his men were slain. So the men of Shirwan lost hope that Darwish
Muhammad Khan would help them, and they offered to yield if the
Shah himself came. And a messenger was sent to the Court, and he
reached it at Marand. Then the Shah set forth and came to the fort.
And the Shirwanis sent a man to certify that the Shah had come.
Next day Shahrukh Husayn Beg, Muhammad Beg, and the Shirwan
Chiefs, came to the Shah with gifts, and humbly handed over the keys
of their gates and stores to the Royal agents. Shahrukh, Husayn Beg,
and Muhammad Beg, were imprisoned and the fort was ordered to be
destroyed. On Friday, the third day of the first month of Jumada,
Ni‘matullah Beg, Commandant of the fort of Gulistan, came down
and handed over the fort. On the seventeenth day Husayn Beg of
the Shirwanis was put to death and Shahrukh was imprisoned and
sent to Tabriz. Then tidings of the conquest of Shirwan were pub-
lished throughout the empire — in Adarbayjan, and Traq, and Fte,
and Kirman, and Khuzistan, and the shores of the sea of ‘Umto.
And the province was given to Ilqas Mirza, and the Shah returned to
Tabriz. One of the poets wrote a qasida, giving the date in every
line.

132

ahsanu’t-tawarikh.

Events in Khwarazm, and the war between Din Muhammad Uzbek
and the Chiefs of ^Ubayd Khan.

This year the Khwarazm Sultans put Sultan Ghazi to death,
wherefrom arose much confusion and many claimants. The sons of
Sufiyan Khan,(®) Yusuf Sultan, ‘All Sultan, Uways Sultan, Pahlawan
Quli Sultan, and Aqsh Sultjan, took possession of the province of
Khwarazm, and ‘Umar Ghazi, son of Sultjan Ghazi and sister’s son of
Buraq Khan, fled to Tashkand and prayed for help from Buraq
Khan, who came with ‘Ubayd Khan and the hosts of Transoxiana in
anger to Khwarazm. But Yusuf was joined by his brothers and
many men, and together they went to Urganj (®) and met the generals
of ‘Ubayd Khan and Buraq on the banks of the Oxus. And after a
hard battle the Chiefs of Transoxiana flted. Then ‘Ubayd left his son,
‘Abdu’l-‘aziz, at Urganj, and crossed over into Transoxiana with
Buraq and ‘AbduT-latif Sultan. At the same time Din Muhammad
bin Alush Khan, Governor of Nisa and Abiward on behalf of the Shah,
came to the aid of Yusuf Sultan, and putting on the Uzbeks the Sufi
cap noised it abroad that the Qizilbashes had come and besieged the
city. Hearing this, ‘Abdul- ‘aziz sent a messenger to ‘Ubayd Khan
to ask for help. And ‘Ubayd crossed the Oxus and raised the siege
of Urganj, and reached Wazir(^) and took it. Then, having given the
governorship of that city to one of his generals, he returned to
Bukhara. And when he came to Hazarasp(®) he heard that Din
Muhammad had plundered Khiva. In anger he sent Darwish Beg to
Khiva. And Din Muhammad marched against him with Yaqa Turk-
mans and ‘Ali Ilis,(^) and they met four leagues from Hazarasp in a
flat place with a stream. Yusuf Sultan, Din Muhammad’s advance
guard, fell upon Qaraja Bahadur unawares, and took him and a
number of his men, and pursued one regiment to the river. But
‘Ubayd Khan’s Chiefs held the bridge and fired upon them. So the
Yaqa Turkmans fled in panic, bearing off Din Muhammad’s standard ;
but Aqsh Sultan met them and turned them back. At this time
Yusuf Sultan, who had pursued after the fleeing foe, came ; and
straightway he fell upon ‘Ubayd’s generals, who were put to flight.
And Latif Mirak, Shekh Nazar Beg, Taji, the Chief Courier, Qaraja
Bahadur Wakil, and Hafiz Qunqurat, were taken, but Darwish Beg
and Kupuk Sultan escaped. And ‘Ubayd Khan heard of this at
Hazarasp, and he mounted and fled to Bukhara. Thus Din

AHSANXr’T-TAWARiKH.

133

Muhammad got a great victory. And he sent tidings thereof to the
Shah, who rejoiced and sent Din Muhammad dresses of honour and
an order for three hundred Tabriz! tumans to be paid yearly from
Sabzawar.

A.H. 946, The sending of Shah Qull Khalifa, Kee'per of the Seal,

to Astara.

Now Amira Qubad, the Governor of Astara, showed the marks of
revolt, and Shah Quli Khalifa was sent by the Shah with an army
against him. And Amira Qubad scattered his men in the jungles.
But, before Shah Quli Khalifa arrived, Sulayman Beg, the Chief
Gunner, with Amir Ashraf, Mutawalli of Ardabil, and certain of his
officers, camped at Arjuwan. « And Amira Qubad fell on him with
horse and foot ; but the Ghazis overthrew them at the first assault.
Then Amira Qubad threw himself into the forest. And the Gha-zis
pursued and slew eight hundred men and sent their heads to the Shah.
And the rule over that district was given to Bayandur Khan.

The ShaKs sending of Bahrdm Mlrza to ravage Kurdistan,

This year Bahram Mirza and Kukja Sultan Qajar went forth to
plunder Kurdistan. And the Governor, Sultan ‘Ali Musallih, fled, and
the Ghazis plundered the land, and, having got much booty, returned
towards Tabriz. But in this expedition certain men showed some-
what of slackness ; they were set upon asses and paraded in the
bazar, that others might take warning.

This year, too, Mahdi Quli Sultan Afshar,(^) Governor of Shush-
tar, rebelled, and strengthened the Shushtar fort, and oppressed the
people. So Haydar Quli Sultan Afshar was sent against him, and he
besieged the city. Sunduk Bahadur, the brother of Mahdi Quli Sul-
tan, slew Mahdi on Sunday, the twenty-first day of the month of Zi’l-
hijja, and sent his head to the Court.

This year there was plague in Tabriz, and the Shah left the city

until it abated.

The death of ‘Ubayd Khan,{^)

‘Ubayd Khan, bin Mahmud Sultan bin Abu’l-Khayr Khan bin
Dawlat Shekh Ughalan bin Tlti Ughalan bin Fulad Ughalan bin Ayba
Khwaja bin Taghtay bin Balghan bin Shay ban bin Juji bin Chingiz

134 :

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH,

Khan, was a king famous for polite learning, and for lack of real
knowledge, hard hearted, but with some knowledge of the sciences,
and in poetry unequalled. In Shaybak Khan’s time he was Governor
of Bukhara. He overthrew most of Sultan Husayn Mirza’s sons.
This year his heart was set on attacking Khurasan and on plundering
Moslems; but the Almighty brought him low by sickness, and he
died. Khurasan, ruined and deserted by reason of his attacks,
bloomed again. He fought seven battles — against Kupuk Mirza at
Mashhad; Ibn Husayn Mirza near Sabzawar ; Babur at Ghujduwto ;
Akhi and Damri Sultan at Bistam; Shah Tahmasp at Jam; Sufiyan
Khalifa at ‘Abdulabad of Kayshapur. He suffered defeat only at Jam.
His generals put ‘Abdu’l-‘aziz Sultan on the throne, and his other son
‘Abdu’r-rahim, submitted. His age was fifty-three ; and he reigned
for thirty years. His country was Bukhara and the city of Kash ; but
his name was on the coins of all Transoxiana. After his death they
struck coins in the name of ‘Abdu’l-latif Khan bin Kuchum Khan.

Shahrukh bin Sultan Farrukh bin Shekh Shah bin Farrukh
Yasar bin Amir KhaliluMh bin Sultan Ibrahim bin Sultan Muhammad
bin Kayqubad — tracing descent from Nawshirwan the Just — ^was this
year put to death, and his life extinguished, by the Shah’s order.

Amir Sultan Rumlu, Governor of Qazwin and Sawukh Bulagh
died this year at Tabriz. His army was given to Pir Sultan Khalifa
— a simpleton. For the writer, his grandson, was busy with the
duties of a qurchi.

Mawlana Ruknu’d-din Mas‘ud Kashi of Shiraz — but, since he
lived for the most part at Kashan, he was called Kashi — -was a pupil
of Mawlana Sadru’d-din ‘Ali Tabib. He became the Shah’s physician
and was as a Galen of the time, or a Ptolemy. This year he died.

A,H. 947,

The Shah’s summer quarter were at Surluq. Ghazi Khan
Takalu deserted the Turks, and came to Court with five thousand
men, and was given as fief Saliyan and Mahmudabad under Shirwan.
The Shah heard that Haji Shekh Kurd(^) had gathered a band of
robbers and rebelled. ‘Abdullah Khan, Shah Quli Khalifa, Keeper of
the Seal, Ghazi Khan Takalu, and Qarawali ‘Arabgirlu, were appointed
to go against him. In the fight an arrow hit Mahmud Beg
Khunuslu, and killed him, and the Kurds killed certain Ghazis. And

A^SANU’T-TAWAItiKH. 1 35

the Ghazis returned to the camp, for the place was strong and they
could do nothing.

First expedition of the Shah against Georgia,

This year the Shah w^ent against the Georgians (^) — hunting on
the way to Bargshat, and being joined by Chiefs and their forces from
all parts. One night the Moslem army poured upon Tiflis,(^) and
plundered the city, and took captive women and children. Gulbad
the Georgian, one of the chief nobles of Lawasan, took refuge in the
Tiflis fort, asking for quarter. And he surrendered the fort, and
became a Moslem. The Ghazis raided the country. Hish, who was
one of the greatest Chiefs of Lawasan, threw himself into the fort of
Birtis ; but the Gabrs surrendered it, and those who accepted Islam
were spared, and the rest were slaughtered. Then the army marched
against the mountains of Didku and Georgia, which they took,
killing a number of the enemy in the passes of the hills ; and
the rest were scattered. Then the Shah went to the Kur river, and
Lawasan, the Ruler of that land, fled to the hills and forests, and
escaped. And the Shah returned to Tabriz.

The march of the Chiefs to attach Rustamdar,

Now this year Pir Sultan Khalifa Rtimlu, Husayn Jan Sultan
Rumlti, Shah ‘Ali Sultan Ustajlu, and Ahmad Beg Turkman, with an
army, attacked Rustamdar. The Governor, Malik Jahanglr(^) bin
Malik Kaus, took refuge in the Larijan fort, and the Qizilbashes
attacked it. Then Ahmad Beg entered the gate, and scattered the
Rustamdaris, and Malik Jahangir asked for quarter. But the Persian
general, Pir Sultan Khalifa, in his wisdom, went not to Ahmad’s help,
but stayed in a garden eating apricots. And the Rustamdaris, seeing
that Ahmad was without supporters, attacked him, and killed him
and some of his men, Pir Sultan Khalifa, being lacking in courage,
returned.

Miscellaneous events.

For that many signs of disaffection on the part of Hasan Sultan(®)
bin Amir Abu Ishaq had been seen, Ghazi Khan ZuT-Qadar was
commanded to go with the army of Pars, and to seize him, and send
him to Court. So Ghazi Khan marched for Rishahr,(®) and Hasan took
refuge in the fort, which the Qizilbashes besieged. And after some

136

AHSAITU’T-TAWARiKH.

days Amir Sayyid Sharif brought Hasan out of the fort, and Ghazi
Khan sent him to Tabriz, where he was killed by the Shah’s com-
mand. This year the Shah summered at Sahand where Ilqas Mirza
and Muhammad Khan, Governor of Shaki, came to Court. Also
Ghazi Khan Takalu captured the fort of Baku, and killed many of
the defenders. The Shah wintered at Tabriz.

Deaths,

Ghazi Khan Zu’l-Qadar,^^) Governor of Shiraz, died, and Shiraz
was given to Ibrahim Beg, son of Kachal Beg, who was made a Khan.

A,H, 948,

The Shah went to Khtizistan becg^use of the rebellion of Ala’u’d-
dawla Isma‘ili,(®) Governor of Dizful. When the camp reached
Khurramabad, Jahangir (^), the Governor of the Lesser Lurs, came to
Court, and 'Ala’u’d-dawla fled to Baghdad like a gnat before the
wind. The people came to meet the army, and handed over the fort,
and the Shah appointed Haydar Quli Sultan Afshar Governor.
There, too, Sayyid-i-Sajjadin Badran Musha^shi', Governor of
Huwayza, came to Court, and was confirmed as Governor. The Shah
ordered Ibrahim Khan Zu’l-Qadar, and Husayn Jan Sultan Rumlu,
to plunder the district of the fort of Bayat.(^®) And they did so.

When the Shah had finished with Khuzistan, he went to Qum
for the winter. Prom the Dizful expedition to the present time
(which is the year of the Hijra 980) the writer was with the Royal
camp in all its journeys, and saw most events with his own eyes.

Amir Sadru’d-din Muhammad, Amir Nizamu’d-din Ahmad, Amir
Qamaru’d-din Muhammad, and Abu’l Mahamid Lutfullah, were
Husayni Sayyids, born at Askuya, near Tabriz. Their grandfather,
Abu’l-Qasim, had been a high placed Sayyid and learned man,
honoured by the earlier Sultans. These Sayyids had been for long in
the Shah’s service, relied upon in matters of state, and greatly trusted.
And all that they wished for was granted, and the Shah and his
nobles oft-times went to dine with them at Askuya, and convivial
meetings were held. Yet they did not value these favours, and were
ungrateful, and they did things which were improper. And the Shah
became estranged, and the nobles were able to make him turn against
them. And Qazi-i-Jahan who had raised them to this high estate

a^sanxj’t-tawarIkh.

137

found it expedient to quarrel with them. And they secretly plotted,
and thought to be Wakil and Sadr and Wazir. At last a Royal com-
mand confined them to Askuya ; yet were they given a worthy fief.

In the beginning of this year the envoys of the Uzbek Kings —
Jahanchara on behalf of Kaskan Qara Sultan, Ruler of Balkh, and
Khudai Virdi Beg on behalf of ‘Abdu’l-‘aziz, son of 'Ubayd Khan
and Ruler of Bukhara — came with presents to Court, and were sent
back. And Haji Agha, Mihmandar, was sent along with them.

Deaths.

Amir Ghiyasu’d-din Mansur bin Amir Sadru’d-din Muhammad
Shirazi was a man learned in both theoretical and practical matters.
Of this it is sufficient proof th^t in Shah IsmafiFs time he was sent
for to repair the observatory of Khwaja Nasiru’d-din Tusi in
Maragha.(^^) But the Shah did not approve of the time taken ; for
three years were spent before the cycle of Saturn was finished. The
Mir greatly feared the venereal disease, and would not shake hands
with any man, or, if he did, he kept his hand in his sleeve. And if a
man wished to injure another, he would suggest that he had this
disease ; and the Mir inquired not whether it was true or not. When
he was Minister, Qazi ‘Ali of Baghdad was the mainstay of his office.
And one day Qazi Musafir, by way of joking said that Qazi ‘Ali had
once had this disease. Next day Qazi ‘Ali came to the Mir for his
seal, with which to seal certain orders. Then the Mir avoided him
and shrank away, and the more he advanced the more the Mir
retreated, until they had gone the whole length of the hall. The
Qazi tried in vain to explain. The second time, when the Mujtahid of
the time heard of the Mir’s neglect of religious observances, and his
contemptuous references to himself, he became his enemy, and their
quarrel strengthened till there was no reason in it. One day at a
meeting the Mujtahid and the Mir were present, and a subject of
learned discussion arose, which led to quarrelling. But the Shah took
the part of the Mujtahid, and dismissed the Mir from his office ; and
he went to Shiraz. And this year he died. Among his works are :
Notes on the HikmatuT-‘Ayn, Notes on the Zaura, Akhlaq-i-Mansuri,
Muhakamat, Notes on the Tajrid, Isbat-i-wajib, Notes on the Sura-i-
Hal Ati, The Mirror of Truths, Small tract on Astronomy, The Rays
of Astronomy, Kifaya-i-Mansuri on accounts, The Gardens of Rizwan,

138 AHSANU’T-TAWARtKH.

The Right Hands of the Faith on Scholastic Theology, and The Proof
of Guidance.

A.H, 950. {^) The Shah goes to Sarahandi^) for the summer, and
Din Muhammad Uzbek goes to Astarabad.

Early in the spring the Shah left Qum for Saraband, and abode
there some days. And he fell sick, but recovered. He heard that an
army from Transoxiana thought to cross the Oxus. So Bahram
Mirza, Badr Khan Ustajlu, Husayn Jan Sultan Rumlu, and Budaq
Khan Qajar, were sent to the summer quarters of Lar. And Bahram
Mirza sent a minister, Khwaja Hnayatullah, to raid Rustamdar.

‘ Inayatullah did this, and safely returned with booty. The Shah sent
‘Abdullah Khan and Shah ‘Ali Sultan to raid the settlements of the
Kalhurs.(®) Then the Chief s plundered the settlements, and returned.

When news of the Shah’s illness reached Din Muhammad Uzbek,
he forgot his duty and marched against Astarabad. And the Gover-
nor of that place, Sadru’d-din Khan, sent a company from the fort ;
but the enemy was too strong, and they took refuge in the city.
Then Din Muhammad, not caring for a siege, returned to his own
country. When Bahram Mirza and the Chiefs at Lar heard of this
they sent Badr Khan, Husayn Jan Sultan, and Budaq Khan Qajar,.
with all speed to Astarabad. These returned to Lar, when they
heard of Din Muhammad’s retreat.

The war of the Turks and Georgians.

Sulayman Sultan sent Musa Pasha, Governor of Erzerunj., with
sixty Amirs of districts to take Georgia. The Turks set out for
Dawili. And King Buqrat, who is also called Bash Aohuq, strength-
ened the fort, and left men there, and himself went to the hills and
forests. Then the Turks besieged the fort, and in ten days they took
it. From thence they marched to Ulti and surrounded that fort, and
made ready guns and muskets and engines of war against it. Then
Bash Achuq sent presents to Musa Khan, saying that if the Pasha
would depart he would hand over the keys to whomsoever he might
appoint. And Musa trusted in his word, and departed to go to-
Erzerum, leaving his guns to follow. But the Georgians fell upon the
officers left with the guns and slew them almost all. Then they pur-
sued after the Pasha, and when they came up with him they fell upon

ai^sanu’t-tawahikh.

13^

him in the morning and overcame him. So they killed Musa and
many Turks^ and plundered their camp. And when news of this
reached Amid,(®) Khadim ‘Ali Pasha, with the army of Diyarbakr,
marched with speed on Georgia. But, when they found that the
Georgian Chiefs had gone to their own country they returned to
Amid.

Now, when the Sultan heard of the victory of the Georgians, he
sent Mutamarrid ‘All Pasha and a large army to Georgia. And they
met the Georgians at the village of Qanlu Ohamani.(®) And in the
fight the Georgians took the fiag of Dalw Baha’u’d-din Kurd ; but he
retook it. And, after much fighting the Georgians were overthrown
and fied. And the Turks returned with much booty.

This year the Shah wintered at Qazwin.

A.H, 961, The coming of Humayun Padshali{f-) to the Persian Court,

This year Humayun Padshah took refuge with the Shah. For
Shir Khan Afghan rebelled and met Humayun in Bengal. And there
was a hard battle, and Shir Khan’s small army overthrew the hosts of
Humayun. Mirza Muhammad Zaman, grandson of Sultan Husayn
Mirza, and many nobles were drowned in the Ganges. But Humayun
came to Lahore in distress, and from thence, by reason of the advance
of the Afghans and the opposition of his brothers, he went to Bakar, and
Mirza Shah Husayn bin Shuja‘ Beg Arghun,(^) the Governor of Bakar,
hoisted his flag against him, and could not be persuaded, though the
King sent men to him many times calling him to his duty. So
Humayun turned towards Qandahar. And the Governor, ‘Askari
Mirza, his brother, was minded to take Humayun and his nobles.
But this was revealed to Humayun by a friend among ‘Askari MirzSi’s
officers, who came to his camp in the country of Shal and Mastang.
So Humayun was constrained to leave his camp and his baggage ; and
he fled with thirty or forty men by an unknown way towards Sistan.
And the Governor of Sistto, Ahmad Sultan Shamlu, came out with his
nobles to meet him at a certain village, and gave him a place to stay
in befitting the King. And Humayun and Ahmad set out for Herat.
And when Muhammad Khan came to know of Humayun’s coming he
sent presents, and on Saturday, the twentieth of the month Zi’l-qa‘da
he and his nobles left Herat and met Humayun at the village of
Malan. And they entered Herat together. And Sultan Muhammad

140

ahsanu’t-tawarikh-

Mirza visited the King in the Ravens’ Garden. So for some days
Hnmayun abode at Herat, and set forth to meet the Shah. And
in every province the nobles met him with honour. At Ray he was
met by Husayn Jan Sultan Rumlu, the Governor. And while he was
still a league from the Shah’s camp there came to meet him Bahram
Mirza, Sam Mirza, Qazi-i-Jahan, Sunduk Beg the QurchibashI, Badr
Khan, Shah Quli Khalifa, the Keeper of the Seal, and other nobles.
Then he dismounted when he came near, and the Shah, when he saw
him, left his tent and came forward some steps. And men saw the
conjunction of the two stars. Thus they entered the tent together.
Of Humayun’s gifts was a diamond of four misqals and four dangs.
Then the camp left Chaman-i-qurwa for Surluq. At that time the
Shah went hunting, and antelopes, aiyi wild oxen, and all manner of
beasts were slain. And the Shah made a great feast and called
Humayun. And when eating and drinking were finished the Shah
gave all kinds of gifts, jewelled belts, and stuffs, and weapons, and
Arab horses, and camels, and tents. Then they made pilgrimage to
the tombs of the Shah’s forefathers at Ardabil, and to Tabriz, and
returned to the camp. And the Shah commanded that they should
go to help Humayun to the Land of Dawar and Qandahar — Shah Quli
Sultan Afshar, Budaq Khan Qajar, Ahmad Sultan (Governor of
Sistan), Ayqut Beg (grandson of Chayan Sultan), Adham Beg (son of
Div Sultan), and three hundred qurchis under Shah Virdi Beg Kachal,
and one thousand horsemen under Muhammad Khan. After they
took that province they should go to Kabul and Ghazna, and -hand
over that land to Humayun. So they set out, and came to the hot
•country. Then ‘Askari Beg, Kamran Mirza’s Governor of Qandahar,
strengthened the fort and sent word of Humayun’s coming to Kabul.
And Mirza Kamran sent Qasim Sultan and Amir Khalil to help
■‘Askari Beg. But Humayun, hearing of this, marched swiftly with
the Qizilbashes. And the enemy left the fort for battle, but they
were forced to flee back into the fort, and it was besieged. After
eight months ‘Askari Beg, despairing of help from Kamran Mirza,
asked for quarter. So the King forgave him, and Budaq Sultan took
possession of the city. And Humayun and the Persian lords abode
outside Qandahar, but after four days the Persians marched off, each
to his own country, despite the Shah’s command that they should not
return till Kabul had been taken from Kamran Mirza. But Humayun

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

141

abode near Qandahar with five thousand horse, and gathered together
his nobles, and took counsel with them. Ulugh Mirza, grandson of
Sultan Husayn Mirza, urged that they should take Qandahar from
Budaq Khan, and, leaving families and dependents there, should turn
to Kabul. And this was approved; and Ulugh Mirza with about
three hundred men set out for the city by way of the Mashur gate,
and Amir Haji Muhammad with his braves by way of the Kundagan
gate. When they reached the gate of Qandahar, they found the
keepers of the gate expecting nought ; so they threw themselves into
the fort. And Budaq Khan’s men took refuge in the citadel. Then
Humayun came to the city, and Budaq Khan came down from the
citadel, and went off, with permission, to the Shah’s Court. So when
Qandahar, for the second time and with the help of the Shah, came
into Humayun’s possession, the Chaghatay Chiefs deserted Kamran in
numbers, and joined Humayun, who turned to Kabul. Qaraja Beg
visited the King, and was well received. Shir Afkan Bahadur, son of
Quch Beg, fled from Kamran with a thousand horse, and joined the
camp. So, too, did Khizr Khan, Governor of Hazara, with a force of
ten thousand. And when Kamran heard of Humayun’s coming, he
left Kabul and fled. And Humayun entered Kabul in state.

This year there was a conjunction of the two great planets. The
Shah’s winter quarters were at Qazwin.

A.H. 952, The Shah goes to Ddmaghan,

The Shah’s summer quarters were at Yalla Gumbad which is near
Qazwin. Thence he went to Sultaniyya, and abode there two months,
and from thence he went to Damaghan.

Miscellaneous events.

Din Muhammad came to Mashhad, and killed sixty of the men
of Shah Quli Sultan Ustajlu, Governor of Mashhad, and, going to
Nayshapur, he plundered the country, and, after twenty days, returned
to his own land.

The Shah’s winter quarters were at Qazwin. This year, too,
there was plague at Tabriz.

Deaths,

Amir Muizzu’d-din Muhammad Isfahan! was the most pious,
abstemious, and learned, of the Sayyids of Persian Traq; being
especially versed in jurisprudence, which he had learnt mostly from

142

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

the Mujtahid of the time. In his youth he made pilgrimage to the
House of God.(^) When the Mujtahid caused the dismissal of Mir
Ohiyasu’d-din Mansur, he also praised the qualities of the Mir, and
the Shah sent for him. And he was then at Isfahan. Till he came,
the Mujtahid appointed officers on his behalf. He was eight years
Minister, and hard he worked to improve religion and abate heresy, to
suppress drinking and gambling places, and to punish evil doers and
heretics. Yet he had a sense of humour, and many diverting things
are told of him. His good nature and humility were beyond praise.
But by reason of the treachery of Mawltoa Ruknu’d-din Mas'ud
Kazaruni, the Shah ceased to favour him, and dismissed him. There-
after he lived at the shrine of Riza, and spent his days in religious
studies and worship. This year he thought to visit the Holy places ;
but he died at Basra, and was buried at Karbala. Among his works
is a tract on the Division of Hundreds. ‘ Khayru’n-nas ’ gives the
date of his death.

Mawlana Sultan Muhammad Saqi, of Astarabad, was a famous
poet, and a rival of Mawlana Hayrati. He died this year in the
month of Rajab. His works include a Commentary on the Matali'*
and a diwan of ghazals and qasidas.

Mantasha Sultan Ustajlu also died suddenly this year.

A,H. 953, The rebellion of Ilqas the traitor.

Now when he had ruled Shirwan for a short time Ilqas forgot his
duty, and rebelled. Then the Shah went to Tabriz with troops, and
sent Urkanj Ughali to Ilqas ; but Ilqas answered him roughly. How-
beit, when Ilqas heard of • the Shah’s coming, he sent his mother,
Khan Begi Khanam, and his son Sultan Ahmad, to Court. And the
Khanam represented that Ilqas was repentant, and asked for forgive-
ness, promising to offend no more. So the Shah pardoned him, and
sent Sayyid Beg Muhammad Kamuna, Sunduk Beg Qurchibashl, Shah
Quli Khalifa, Keeper of the Seal, Badr Khan, and Mas'um Beg
Mutawalli of Ardabil, with Ilqas’ mother to Shirwan. They took an
oath from Ilqas, not again to disobey, and to send every year a
thousand Tabriz tumans to the treasury and a thousand horsemen
with their kit. Then the Shah marched from Sahand to Tabriz, where
Barakat Khalifa Bakdili,(^) one of Ilqas’ courtiers, broke away from
Ilqas with about forty men, and came to Court.

AHSANU’T-TAWiBiKH.

143

And at Tabriz a quarrel arose between the Afshar and Zu’l-Qadar
tribes, and they got ready to fight. The Shah, mingling kindness and
severity, upbraided them, and they inclined to peace. Shah Quli
Khalifa Zu’l-Qadar, Ibrahim Khto Zu’l-Qadar, 'Ali Sultan Zu’l-Qadar,
Sunduk Beg Qurchibashi Afshar, Shah Quli Sultan Afshar, and
Muhammad Khan Afshar came to the palace, and covenanted that
they would quarrel no more so long as they lived.

After this the Shah set out for Georgia with a large army, passed
Shura-i-gil, and reached Aq Shahr. There, at a time of great cold, he
made a night attack on the Gabrs,(^) and covered the snow with their
blood, and captured oxen and sheep, and burnt houses. The sun was
in Capricorn, and the Kur was frozen, and snow made hill forts and
level plains one. Kamal Ismail(®) must have been describing such a
time as this when he wrote that the hills were covered with snow as
cotton-seed with cotton. At this time the writer, with certain Rumlu
and Chapani qQrchis, met a body of the Gabrs, and he, with a Chapani
qurchi named Shah Quli, charged and scattered them, and wounded
and killed, or captured, many men. The Ghazis who were with us
restrained themselves, and halted. Then the Shah marched from Aq
Shahr for Tubdi. And, on the way, Lawand Beg, Governor of Zakam
and Giram, and Bash Achuq, Governor of Georgia, came to Court and
were honourably received. Bash Achuq received a dress of honour
and returned to his province, but Lawand Beg, remained and served at
Court (even as good fortune serves) for some days. Then the Shah
marched straight to Ganja, and left Ganja and camped at the village
of Yulaq, from whence he sent Ibrahim Khan Zu’l-Qadar, Husayn
Jan Sultan Rumlu, Kukja Sultto Qajar, Shah Virdi Sultan Ziyad
Ughali, Khwaja Basan, and five thousand horse, to Shamakhi where
was Ilqas the traitor. Then Mihtar Dawlat Yar, Commander of Ilqas’
camp, hearing of this, took away the family of Ilqas to Gulistan fort.
After the Chiefs had set out for Shamakhi the Shah marched to ^Ali
Shaban, and from thence he sent Sulayman Chalabi, who was at
Gulistan, with six hundred men against Darband. A league from
Darband the Ghazis met a company of Ilqas’men, and overcame them,
and killed about thirty. And Saru Qimasp and Dalw Qimasp came
out from Darband to fight, but were driven back into the fort. Then
Sulayman Chalabi returned and came to the Samur river.

144

AHSANU’T-TAWiRiKH.

Miscellaneous events.

This year from the Turks of the Qipchaq plain, and the nomads
and Chiefs of the hill country, men like Sultan 'All Beg Qitaq and
Qara Qubad came to Court and were received, and were given
presents. This year, too, Sultan Sulayman of Turkey sent a large
army to take Basra. ‘Abdullah Munzir, the Governor, left the fort
and fought with the Turks till night ; but, finding that he was not
equal to them, he left the city and fled, and the Turks conquered
Basra.

Deaths.

Sultan Chaghatay was a beautiful youth, who died this year.

Mawlana Kamalu’d-dln Husayn, son of Mawlana Mas'ud Kashi,
was a skilful physician, who succeedeci his father as the Shah’s physi-
cian and was highly favoured. He died this year.

A.H. 954. Ilqds goes to Circassia ; he returns ; his defeat by the
Persian Chiefs : his flight to Turkey.

Now when Ilqas me"t the Chiefs he set out for Circassia with six
thousand horse and foot, and made with all speed for Darband, leaving
his family at Shamakhi , but taking his mother to Darband fort.
And he set his face towards Circassia ; but, because of the cold, he
could do nothing, and returned. And he made Shah Nazar, the
brother of Muhammad Khan, Governor of Shaki, with some officers his
vanguard. And a company of men from Circassia came up with them.
And Shah Nazar fought bravely, but he was hit by a javelin, and fell
from his horse and was killed. And Parwandi Agha Eumlu and
many of Ilqas’ officers were slain. And the victory of the Circassian
men made many go against Ilqas, but he again attacked and over-
threw the Circassians, and pursued after them, and killed nearly six
hundred. Then he turned to Darband, and there he heard that the
Shah had come to Shirwan and taken the gear and families of his
soldiers, and stood ready to fight with thirty thousand horsemen. So
therefore he sent Saru Qimasp and Dalw Qimasp with a company
against Shah Virdi Sultan Ziyad Ughali Qajar, Muhammad Beg Turk-
man, Sulayman Beg ChalabI ChapanI, and Muhammad Beg Shirbakht
Ughali Talish. And these Chiefs met that company at the Samtir
river, and overthrew it. When Ilqas heard of this he sent Muham-
mad Beg Afshar with a number of roughs to fight Rustam Beg and

AHSAISru’T-TAWAIliKH .

145

Paykar Beg. The Persian Chiefs met and overthrew the enemy near
Qabalah, and slew one hundred and sixty men. But Muhammad Beg
escaped with difficulty. At this time, too, Ilqas sent Chopan Beg
Aychak Ughali to take men who would give news. And when Chopan
came near the camp of the Persian Chiefs, Shah Virdi Sultan Ziyad
Ughali by chance was walking there ; and he caught him, and sent
him to the Shah w’ho commanded that he should be put to death.
And blind Suhrab Zu’l-Qadar was also caught and punished.

And when the Shah heard that Ilqas had come to Darband, he
sent Shah Khalifa, the Keeper of the Seal, and Badr Khan Ustajlu,
and Husayn Jan Rumlfi, and Chiragh Sultan Ustajlu, to help the
Chiefs who were striving with the enemy. Then Ilqas, fearing by
reason of the coming of the Royal forces, fled to Khunaliq (^) ; and
his army deserted by regiments. So Ilqas left Khunaliq and camped
at the Samur river. And the Chiefs sent an expedition against him.
And Shah Virdi Beg Ziyad Ughali and Muhammad Beg Turkman and
some twenty men came suddenly upon Ilqas, who fled as he was.
And the Ghazis crossed the river and fired volleys. Then an officer
of Shah Quli Khalifa, whose name was Satalmish wounded Ilqas with
an arrow. And Ilqas escaped with difficulty to the hills, and most of
his men were taken. Then with but forty retainers he went to the
Shamkhal tribe and, embarking by the sea of Azof, set out for Kaffa ;
and from thence he went to Constantinople. (^)

The taking of Gnlistan Fort.

Now Mehtar Dawlat Yar trusted to the strength of the fort and
the stores and men that he had. And the Shah commanded the army
to camp near the fort, and got ready guns and engines such as are
used against forts, and sent Hamza Beg Kashani Sanjaq Ughali to the
Commandant, to bring him down from the fort. But they took him and
tore him to pieces in the sight of the Ghazis on the tower. And for
about three months neither side had victory ; but, at last, the fort
was taken. For the women who were in the fort, being ill disposed,
let in a number of Shamlu qurchis by means of a tent rope. They
captured Mehtar Dawlat Yar and many of his men, who were executed
by the Shah’s command. And the fort was dismantled. And Shah
Quli Khalifa and Husayn Jan Sultan Rumlu, passing by Darband,
pillaged Qltaq,(®) and returned to camp.

146

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

The capture of Darhand Fort,

Having heard of the flight of Ilqas, the Shah commanded Bahram
Mlrza and ‘Abdullah Khan (^) and others to join the Chiefs and besiege
Darband. And they did this. Kuhna Shah Virdi, the Kotwal,
strengthened the defences. Sappers were ordered to tunnel, and gun-
ners to fire. After two or three months the walls were like a sieve,
and Shah Virdi sent to ask for quarter. Then the Shah pardoned him,
and he and Khan Begi Khanam came out, and were given quarter.
At this time one Masih of Shirwan, Governor of Salut Port, came in,
and surrendered his fort. The Shah, having thus subdued the Shirwa n
province a second time, gave it to his son Isma‘il Mirza, with
Kukja Sultan Qajar to serve him. After this he returned to Tabriz on
the twenty-sixth day of Sha‘ban. -

The ivar of Qdytams Sultan with Duzdl DdTid.

This year Duzdi Baud, Governor of Pasm(^) on behalf of the
Turkish Sultan, with an army of Turks, made a night attack on
Qaytams Khunustu — ^who was at the Kurdish encampment, and his
Ghazis were scattered and asleep. And he killed about a hundred
men of the Alpilwat clan. But Qaytams Beg and Alwand Khan Beg
Sa'dlu threw themselves into the fight, and killed about seven hundred
men, and sent their heads to the Court.

The war of Wall Sultan Zu^l-Qadar with the Chiefs of Kurdistan,

This year, at Sultan Sulaymto’s command, the Kurdish chiefs
came with five thousand horse to Urmiya. Wall Sultan Zu’l-Qadar,
the Governor on behalf of the Shah, left the fort with three hundred
horsemen, and attacked. And seeing his prowess, the Kurdish chiefs
fled to their own country. And Wall Sultan pursued them, and
killed a number of Kurds, who were busy with pillaging, and sent
their heads to the Court.

Humdyun^s war with Mlrzd Sulaymdn.i^) King of Badakhshan,

This year, Humayun marched to Badakhshan. Mirza Sulayman
was at that time in Tukharistan; and he gathered troops from
Khaylan, Khatlan, Qunduz, and Baghlan. But in the battle Sulay-
mi.n was overthrown, and forced to yield. Then Humayun restored
the province to him.

AHS ANU’T-TAW ARiKH .

147

But, while Humayun was away, Kamran came to Kabul, and
seized his family, and conquered the country. And he stripped
Walad Beg and Dalw Qasim, whom the Shah had sent to Humayun.
And when Humayun heard of this, he returned from Badakhshan,
and reached Kabul. Mirza Kamran came out of the city, and drew
up for battle. But he was overthrown, and with much trouble threw
himself into the city. And there were many hard fights. Kamran
sent Shir Afkan Bahadur and three thousand horse to cut off supplies
from the King’s army. And Humayun sent Qaraja Beg to deal with
him. And Amir Qaraja attacked on a sudden, and slew Shir Afkan
and eight hundred horsemen. Meanwhile Humayun besieged the
fort, and he surrounded his army with a ditch, so that they might not
make night attacks. After so\pe months Kamran sent messengers,
asking to be allowed to come to the King safely. And the King
consented, and commanded that no man should touch him. So he
came out of the fort, and was received, and his sins were forgiven,
aud he was treated as one of the princes.

Miscellaneous events.

This year the Shah inquired about the doings of Tlqas’ officials.
And all those who were proved to have been disloyal were punished.
Also Hasan Beg Shamlu, who had often shown disaffection and
treachery, was seized along with his family. This year Adham Beg
Rumlu, son of Div Sultan, was sent as ambassador to Nizamu’l-
mulk,('^) King of the Deccan.

Deaths.

Agha Muhammad bin Agha Rustam Ruz Afzun, who was a kind
and good man, died this year. His brother’s son, Agha Suhrab,
though he struggled much, could do nothing.

Isma‘ll Mlrza's war with Burhan SMrwani.

Now Burhan, a descendant of the Shirwan Kings, rebelled, and
left Qitaq for Shirwan. And Prince Isma'Il marched against him.
He had set up an encampment in the village of Pllan,(^} on the edge
of the forest, ready to fight, A regiment of Ghazls engaged him,
before the Prince arrived ; when he came the enemy could not with-
stand him, and fled. The Ghazls pursued, and killed many, and
threw their heads under the hoofs of the Prince’s charger. At this

148

ahsanu’t-ta warikh.

time news came that Sultan Sulayman and Ilqas were marching
against Tabriz, and the Prince set out to join the Shah’s camp. Then
Burhan came back from the hills to Shamakhi, and gained possession
of the country.

A.H. 955, Sultan Sulayman^ s comingi^) with Ilqas the traitor

towards Tabriz.

This year Sultan Sulayman and Ilqas, and a numberless host,
gathered together from Hungary, Aflaq, Bosnia, Serbia, Morea,
Moldavia, Daira-i-dust (1) AnatoHa, Mantasha III, Qaraman, Mar^ash,
Aleppo, Syria, Egypt, Hejaz, Yaman, Diyarbakr, Arabian Traq,
Haifa, with all equipment, arms and armour, guns, muskets, and
carriages, and marched with speed on Tabriz. Then the Shah left Tabriz
for battle, and camped at Shumb-i-Ghazan for a month, to gather
his troops. And he laid waste the country, and stopped the water
courses in the way of the invaders, and sent ‘Abdullah Khan Ustajlu,
Badr Khan Ustajlu, Husayn Jan Sultan Rumlu, Shah Virdi Sultan
Ziyad Ughali, and ‘All Sultan Takalu, to Marand, and himself went to
his summer resort at Ashkambar. On the banks of the salt water,
Prince Isma‘il Mirz^, with the army of Shirwan, joined the Shah.

Now, the Khwandgar came by way of Dogharl(^) to Bargiri, and
sent Ulma with a company of Turks to surround the fort of Wan. From
thence he made for Tabriz, and from Khuy he sent ‘All Pasha,
Muhammad Pasha, Haydar Pasha, and Ilqas Mirza, with forty
thousand horse, to make a swift attack on the Persian Chiefs at the
meadows of Marand. On the other side ‘Abdullah Khan, Shah Virdi
Sultan Ziyad Ughali, and ‘All Sultan, were sent to scout. And the
Ghazis met the enemy vanguard at Kurd Bisha, and they fought to-
gether. Then Shah Virdi showed great bravery, and killed many
Turks. But, because of their vast numbers, and the stream of their
reinforcements, they prevailed, and the Persian Chiefs took refuge in
the hills. News of this reached the other Chiefs, who sent Tabit Agha,
Wakil of Husayn Jan Rumlu, -to see how the matter was, and Amir
Ghayb Reg, too, with a company of his men, And they reached the
advanced Turkish forces, and made for the Persian Chiefs, fighting
their way there. Ilqas Mirza and the Pashas, when they arrived at
the meadows of Marand, found that ‘Abdullah Khan and the rest had
marched away, and about two thousand horsemen were waiting there

AHS ANU’t-T AW A RIKH .

149

to fight. Then the Turks thought that it was an ambush; but at
last they attacked. And the Ghazis withdrew fighting, and rejoined
the Persian army at Ashkambar. Then the Persians retreated from
the Ashkambar river to the Ahar river, so that they might collect the
Chiefs of Khuzistan, Fto, Kirman, and Traq. And Sultan Sulay-
man came to Tabriz by way of the pass of Yam, and camped at
Jarandab, and Ilqas Mirza in the ‘Ayshabad Garden. Their beasts
were fed on the leaves and bark of trees, and in four days time five
thousand horses, camels, and mules died. And the violence of the
wind covered the sun with dust, so that men could not distinguish
between day and night. And the lack of food made the Turkish
army plunder the town, and the cry of the people went up to heaven.
So, when the Sultan heard of t^jis, he sent Rustam Pasha to stop the
looting. And the Shah sent Qizilbash parties to skirmish, and the
Ghazis hung on to the Turkish camp, and made prisoners, and
impaled them. Thus was the Sultan forced to retire ; and he sent off
his baggage ; and, on Monday, the twenty-fourth day of the second
month of Rabr himseM set off. And the Tabriz rabble cut off many
of his men. Ibrahim Khan and Muhammad! Beg Turkman followed
him. And near Shabistar they had a hard fight with the Pashas of
Syria and Diyarbakr and the Pasha of Mar'ash, and killed the Amir
of ‘Aintab and two hundred men. And the Sultan, retreating every
day three or four leagues, marched on Wan by way of Kurdistan.
At that time Shah ‘Ali Sultan Chapani(®) was Kotwal of Wan. The
Turks attacked with guns and muskets. For they had oast seven
‘‘badlij” guns and six cannon at Adiljawaz, and with them they
attacked. Shah ‘Ali, from the excess of his cowardice, yielded up the
fort. And the Sultto handed it over to Sikandar Pasha, and march-
ed to Diyarbakr.

When the Shah, at Ashkambar, heard that the Sultan had left
Tabriz, he set out, on Thursday, the twenty-eighth day, for battle
with continuous marches. And the Ghazis killed some of the enemy.
On Saturday, the sixth day of Rajab they entered Khuy. Ibrahim
Khan and other Chiefs joined the Royal forces with a large army.
On Wednesday, the tenth the Shah arrived at Chaldiran, where Shah
Quli Sultan, the Governor of Kirman, and Mahmud Khan Afshar
came also. And the Shah heard that the Sultan had made ‘All Beg,
brother of Muhammad Khan ZuT-Qadar, a Pasha, and had sent

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AHSAKTj’T-TAWARiKH.

‘Usman ChalabI Qullar Aghasi with four thousand men to repair
the fort of Qars on the boundary of Georgia. Therefore he sent his
eldest son, Isma'Il Mirza, with Kakja Sultan Qajar, against them.
The Prince marched with speed and killed two thousand, and also
five thousand workmen and artizans, who had been brought from
Amasia, Tuqat, Siwas, Aqshahr, Arzinjan, Bayburd, Kamakh, Tar-
jan, Erzerum, and all that land. The rest threw themselves into the
fort, which was besieged by the Persians. After three days an attack
was made; the defenders asked for quarter and came out. ‘Usman
Chalabi, the Commandant, came with six hundred men to the Prince’s
court. There he drew his sword, and struck Tawiqun Beg on the
shoulder. And then, of a sudden, those bad men attacked the Prince,
who did not move but commanded tljat they should be slain. So all
were killed ; and the fort was destroyed. And the Persians set out
again for the Royal camp. And at this time Bahram Mirza came
from Hamadan with an army. And both joined the Shah.

Shah Quli Sultan Afshar was sent with a large force to attack
the encampments of those parts. They plundered the tribesmen of
Akhlat, and took five thousand horses, one hundred thousand sheep, and
fifty thousand oxen. And the Shah plundered and burnt the district
of Khunus, and set out for Pasin. Prince Isma‘il and Bahram Mirza
joined the camp at Pasin. Shah Quli Sultan, Mahmud Khan, and
Shah Virdi Beg Kachal, who had gone to reconnoitre, met and fought
two thousand men reconnoitring on the other side, and killed many,
and sent their heads to the Shah. Par Quli Afshar met the men of
Qapu Khalaqi, and captured some with their arms.

Then Sultan Sulayman sent Ulma, and the Pasha of Erzerhm,
and the Pasha of SiwEs, with thirteen thousand' horse to guard
Erzerhm, and set off himself for the district of Mush, intending to
enter Bijmrbakr. He had many musketeers as his rear guard. When
the Shah heard this, he marched after him, but before the Shah
arrived he crossed to Bitlis and reached Amid. The Shah sent ‘Ali
Sultan Tati Ughali with ten thousand horse to plunder Akhlat,
Guzil Dara,(^) and Adiljawaz. The army also plundered the district
of Mush. Meanwhile they brought Imam Quli Khalifa Chamish-
guziki(®) Chaush, who was coming from the Sultan to the Shah. And
he said Ulma was at Tar jan. So the Shah set off for Tar jan by way
of Sufiyan, but Ulma left Tarjan and fled. From Tarjan the Shah

a:5S anti’t-tawSrikh .

151

set out for Arzinjan. Prince Isma'il marched in front on Sunday, the
twenty-seventh day, and near Bayburd he met Muhammad Pasha
Tak Ughali, who was overthrown and fled, and was pursued by the
Persians. Pour hundred and fifty Turkish horsemen were killed, and
Arzinjan w’-as plundered and occupied. And the Shah sent Zu’l-
Qadar qurchis to reconnoitre, and himself rested. ‘Usman Chalabi
Turk, who came from Sultan Sulayman, attacked; but the Zu’l-
Qadaris joined battle, and defeated the Turks, and killed thirty of
them, and brought their heads and arms to the Shah.

On Thursday, the tenth of Ramazan the Shah left Arzinjan, and,
early in Shawwal, camped at Uch Kalisa.(®) The Prince, ‘Abdullah
Khan, and Kukja Sultan, were sent to Shirwan. When they reached
the Kur they sent Sunduk Beg, Qurchibashi with two thousand and
five hundred qurchis to plunder Shaki ; and they plundered it.
Darwish Muhammad('^) took refuge in the fort of Kish. And at that
time news came that Ilqas had gone to ‘Iraq, and had captured Bahram
Mirza’s family. So the qurchis rejoined the Royal army, and also
the Prince and ‘Abdullah Khan. And the Shah went with forced
marches, by way of Tarum and Khalkhal, to Qazwin.

Now it was when the Shah was at Arzinjan, and Sultan Sulay-
man was afraid, that he sent Ilqas with five thousand horse from
Kurdistan to Hamadto. When Ilqas reached Hamadan, Bahram
Mirz^’s family fell into his hands. Then he set out for Qum, and
conquered that town, and sent Muhammad Beg Afshar with a large
body of faithless men to plunder Ray ; and they did so, and returned.
They stayed at Qum for nigh a month, and then moved against
Kashan, and conquered it also. Meanwhile his officers brought some
men they had caught, belonging to the Chiefs who had left Arzinjan.
And these prisoners said the Shah was at hand. .So Ilqas made for
Isfahan; there Shah Taqiu’d-din Muhammad and the Mir-i-Miran
brought the folk into the city, and got themselves ready for defence.
And it was heard that Bahram Mirza, and Ibrahim Khan, and their
men, had reached Kashan. So Ilqas set out for Pars ; and he took
the fort of Yazdikhast,(®) and made a general massacre, and then set
out for Shiraz, As they had removed the bridge at Band-i-amir,{®) he
went by the nearer, upper, road, under the White Port. At that time
Junayd Beg, brother of Ibrahim Khan, was there with the families of
the Zu’l-Qadaris. They strengthened the fort defences. And Ilqas

152

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

stayed there five days, and, seeing that it was not possible to cap-
ture the fort, he marched off for Behbehan. The leaders of Shulistan,
and the Mamaseni(^^) collected about a thousand men, and sent to
Junayd, asking counsel of him. And Junayd counselled them not to
fight till next day, when he would join them. But they could not wait,
and divided themselves into two companies ; one followed the enemy,
and captured camels and kit ; and the other attacked on level ground,
and killed thirty. But Ilqas came up with seven hundred horsemen,
and overthrew them, and killed forty of them. And the remnant
fled. And Ilqas attacked the others, and defeated them, and recap-
tured his own gear. But when he reached Behbehan, the people had
fled. Therefore he burnt the place, and reached Shushtar in the
middle of Zi’l-hijja. And his me^ attacked the gates. Amir
Zaynu’-d-din ‘All and Amir ‘AbduT-Wahhab came out of the city ;
and Ilqas, perceiving that he could not succeed, set out for Dizful.
There also he could do nothing ; and he went from thence by way of
Bayat fort to the confines of Baghdad.

The war between Shah ^AU Sultan and ‘Alt Sultan Uzbek,
and the defeat of the Uzbeks.

This year, ‘All Sultan Uzbek fell upon Astarabad with six thou-
sand horse. But Shah 'All Ustajlu burst out of the Jurjan forests
with seven hundred men, and fell upon him, and put him to flight.
The Uzbeks were pursued as far as Gumbad-i-Qabfis ; and three
hundred were killed, and their heads were sent to the Shah.

Muhammad Khan SharafiCd-dtn Ughali goes to Oharjistan.

His fight with Bayram Ughalan ; the defeat of the Uzbeks.

Now Bayram Ughalan Uzbek, Governor of Gharjistan, gathered
men from the Qipchaq tribes and Uzbeks, and came to the Herat
river, and took off to Gharjistan certain tribes who were wont
to pay tribute to the Herat Governors. So when Muhammad Khan
heard this in Herat, he set out, early in Rajab, to attack Gharjistan,
and pitched his camp at Ulang-i-Kahadstan, and then reached the
enemy at Aq Gumbad at the entrance to Gharjistan. And Bayram
prepared for battle in the hills. Hasan Beg Mirab, the advance
guard of the Khan, fell upon the Uzbeks, but Bayram IJghalan defeated
him* But Qazaq, son of Muhammad Khan, came with a band of

AHSANu’T-TAWARiKH.

153

warriors to help him, and Muhammad Khan himself appeared. So
Bayram Khan Ughalan was fain to flee, and the Uzbeks were pursued
by the Takalus and a number were taken captive. The Khan then
made for the fort of Ashbar,(^2) where were the retainers of Bayram
Ughalan. But he could not take it, and returned to Herat.

TU war of Qazaq and Uways Sultan with Haqq Naz^ Ughalan,
and defeat of the Uzbeks.

This year news came that Haqq Nazar Ughalan, with a number
of Uzbeks, had crossed the Oxus. So Muhammad Khan sent Uways
Sultan with a company, to help Qazaq Sultan, who was at that time
at Bakharz.(^®) They joined, and caught the Uzbeks near Pul-i-
Khatun.(^^) Haq q Nazar UghalJln prepared for battle. Qazaq stationed
his musketeers in front, and himself behind them. So Haqq Nazar
could not withstand the Ghazis, and he fled, and was pursued, and
about nine hundred of his men were killed. And the Takalus
returned to Herat.

Sihandar Pasha^s coming to Khuy ; death of Hajl Beg Dumhall,(f^)

The Governor of Wan, Sikandar Pasha, incited by Hasan Beg Mah-
mfidi, gathered together his Kurdistan army, and fell upon Haj! Beg
Dumbali at Khuy, whose wife, being the sister of Hasan Beg, opened
the gates. Haji Beg, after a brave resistance, was killed; and also
many of the inhabitants of Khuy. Then Sikandar returned to Wto.

Miscellaneous events.

Because of the Turkish invasion Tabriz was visited by plague,
and many died. The Shah commanded that they should destroy the
fort of Alanchiq. Shah Qull Sultan Balilan(^®) Kurd plundered Sal-
mas. Sulayman Chalabi Chapani, Governor of Urmiya, fought with
the Chiefs of Kurdistan, but he was overcome, and most of his men
were killed.

Deaths.

Sharif-i-Tabrizi(^^) was a poet of merit, whose works were well
known, among them being his satire on Khwaja Ghiyasu’-d-din ‘Ali
.Kahra, also a qasida of apology.

154

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

A.H. 936,

Now the Khwandgar called Ilqas, after his expedition to Qnm
and Kashan, and his coming to Baghdad. But his star was setting,
and he did not obey, but sent back Bahram Mirza’s family to the
Shah. So the Sultan sent his second minister, Muhammad Pasha,
with thirty thousand horse, against him. They fell upon him at the
season of the equinox, and he fled to the fort of Mariwan, whose
Governor was Surkhab Kurd.(^) And when the Shah heard of his
coming he sent Bahram Mirza, Ibrahim Khan, and Shah Quli Khalifa,
the Keeper of the Seal, with twenty thousand horse. And they
found Ilqas at the fort, and overcome him. And promises and
threats were made to Surkhab; wherefore he handed over Ilqas to
Bahram Mirza, who sent him to the Shah. And the Shah asked him,
saying, ‘ Why didst thou leave me, and flee to the Khwandgar ? For
what evil had I done thee ? ’ And he answered not. Then the Shah
sent him to the forb of Qahqaha. Thus was sedition put down.

The Shah sends 'Abdullah Khan to he Governor of Shirwdn,

Now Burhan had died, and the Shirwanis hid his body. But
‘Abdullah Khan found it, and took it out, and cut off its head. Then
the men of Shirwan, through fear of the Khan, fled to the village of
Daraw, which is an island on the shores of the Qulzum(^) sea, and
rebelled. ‘Abdullah attacked, and drove his horses through the sea,
and killed most of the enemy, and plundered their goods, and returned
to Shamakhi.

The coming of Sihandar Pasha to Erivdn, and the flight of
Husayn Jan Sultan,

Now Sikandar collected the troops of Kurdistan, and came to
Chukhur Sa‘d, where Husayn Jan Rumlu Sultan was Governor. Then
Husayn sent Tabit Agha,(®) his Wakil, with twenty men to reconnoitre ;
they met Sikandar, and were overcome, and five of them were killed.
And Tabit Agha returned to camp. And Sikandar came to Erivan,
and burnt the bazar, and returned to Wan, followed by Husayn, who
killed ten of his men. The Shah, hearing of this, sent Jarandab
Sultto Shamlu to Chukhur Sa‘d to give help.

AHS ANU’T-TAWARiKH .

155

Gaptiire of the fort of Barglrl by Shah Virdl Sultan Ziyad Ughali.

Shah Virdi made an expedition from Nakhchivan to the fort of
Barglri. At that time Sulayman Beg Kurd(^) had come from Sultan
Sulayman to that fort, and thought to attack. And Shah Virdl came
with two hundred and forty men at night, and threw his men against
the fort, and killed about two hundred Kurds and Turks, and cap-
tured Sulayman Beg, and sent him to the Court.

Miscellaneous events.

On a Thursday night in the month of Muharram, in five villages
of the District of QMn, there was an earthquake, and about three
thousand persons were buried under the walls. It is said that Qazi
Mawlana Baqi dwelt in one o^ these villages ; and he was an astro-
nomer, and he warned men of the coming earthquake the day before.
But they heeded not; and he took his wife and family outside.
But because of the great cold at midnight they came back ; and as
soon as they reached their home, the earthquake came, and they were
buried.

The Sultan sent his second Minister Ahmad Pasha, with forty
thousand horse and foot, against Georgia. They took DawilT,(^)
which belonged to Qurqura, and returned.

The Shah’s summer quarters were at Qazwin.

Deaths.

Bahram Mirza,(®) the Shah’s brother, died on Friday, the nine-
teenth day of Ramazan. He was buried at Mashhad. His age was
thirty-three years, and he left three sons — Sultan Hus ay n Mirza,
Sultan Ibrahim Mirza, and Badru’z-zaman Mirza.

A.H. 957. The coming of the Uzheh Khans to Herat, and the death
of Shah Muhammad Sultan.

Buraq Khan(^) and 'Abdu’l-latif Sultan crossed the Oxus with a
large army for Herat. And when Muhammad Khan heard of this,
he commanded that barricades should be set up inside the city, and
he entrusted the barricades of the Firuzabad gate to Uways Sultan,
of the Khush gate to Sanjab Sultan Afshar, the passages outside the
Quti Ch^q gate to Qazaq, while Tatar Beg and Amir Hasan Khatib
looked to the Malik gate. And Muhammad Khan remained with

156

AHSANXj’T-TAWARiKH.

Sultan Muhammad Mirza. On Thursday of the first month of
Jumada Buraq and the rest came ; and they stayed at certain places
in the district. Then the bravest of the Turan Sultans, Shah
Muhammad Sultan, came near to the Khush gate. And Sanjab Sultto
Afshar came out against him and slew many Uzbeks. But at last
the Uzbeks prevailed, and killed five of his officers, and Sanjab got
back to the barricades, and the gunners drove back Shah Muhammad
with musket fire. And after the flight of the unstable Sultans among
the districts of Herat, they sent Shah Muhammad and most of the
Uzbeks and Turks to the lands of Sistan and Farah. And he plun-
dered, and slew, and returned. And he blamed Buraq for that he had
not taken the barricades, saying that he would mount, and not dis-
mount till he had taken them. So next day he attacked the barri-
cade near the Shah-i-zinda(^) tomb, and fell upon Suhrab, one of its
defenders, who fled. But Shah Muhammad was hit by a great stone
on the head, and fell from his horse. And one of Muhammad Khan’s
officers arose, and cut off his head and took it to the Khan. And
five or six Uzbeks, who were his companions, were taken. Therefore
Buraq Khan was afraid, and, on Tuesday, the twenty-seventh day he
marched from Herat, desiring to conquer Bukhara. For 'Abdu’l-
'aziz Sultan bin ‘Ubayd Khan had died.

The Shah sends Sunduh Beg QurchlbdsM, and Hasan Beg TnzbasM
against Biga Ardalan,

Now Surkhab Kurd sent a man to Court, saying that Biga Arda-
lan,(®) Lord of Shahrizur, had come with a company of Turks to his
fort. So the Shah commanded Sunduk Beg and Hasan and Rustam
Beg Afshar, with five thousand horse, to go against that worthless
man. They crossed the river Tulwar which was in flood. And eighty
qurchis met Biga in the gardens of Shahrizur with seven hundred
horse ; and they unhorsed him, and he hardly escaped into the fort.
And forty of his men were slain in the fight.

In those days the writer fought with a company of Kurds on a
bilinear the fort of Zalam.(^) The Rumlu qurchis, being about fifty
men, fled from the Kurds. And a Kurd who had killed Shadi Beg
Zu’l-Qadar was about to take Shah Virdi Beg, son of Qunqurat Sultan.
And my friend, Husayn Quli Khalifa cried to his men to fight or don
“the garb of women. But they were afraid, and left their horses and

AHSANU’T-TAWARtKH.

157

threw themselves from the hill. Then I and Husayn Quli Khalifa
charged and scattered the Kurds, and put Shah Virdi Beg on a horse,
and set off, fighting with the Kurds who had pursued the qurchis
and were about forty men. Then Sunduk Beg camped hard by the
city, and Surkhab came out of the fort and joined him. And the
Ghazis plundered the neighbourhood of Shahrizur. And Sunduk Beg

sent Rustam Beg Afshar with men to raid the province of

And so he did. Twenty days after Sunduk Beg returned

to Qazwin, and the Shah departed from thence for his summer
quarters at Sultaniyya. He marched straight to Adarbayjan, and
sent Ma^sum Beg Safawi, Shah Quli Khalifa, Keeper of the Seal, and
Ali Sultan Takalu to plunder Tarkur and Markur.(^) And the
Ghazis slew many Kurds, and took many beasts, and joined the camp
again at Salmas. Then the Shah marched towards the fort of Kukar
Chang on the sea of Urmiya. It was a fort approved by His Majesty,
and hard by it is a hill, which also they made a fort. And the Shah
set out for Nakhchiwan. There he stayed for a month, and turned
to Qara Bagh where he wintered.

The rebellion of the Yaqa Turkmans, and the death
of Shah Virdi Beg Kachal.

After Shah Ali Suhan the Shah gave Astarabad to Shah Virdi
Beg Kachal. And the Yaqa Turkmans came to him with presents.
And there was a young man named Uba, Chief of the Ukhlu, a youth
of great beauty; and Shah Virdi Beg made advances to him, and
he fled to his tribe in the night and killed Shatar Beg, a courtier of
Shah Virdi Beg and his Darogha of the Turkmans. When Shah
Virdi Beg heard of this he set out to attack the Turkman camps, and,
ascending a hill without any attendants, sent his whole force to
attack. Then Uba came up to Shah Virdi Beg and slew him. And
when his men, who were plundering, heard this they fled. When
news of this reached Damaghan Amir Ghayb Beg, the Governor, set
out with all speed for Astarabad to protect it.

The killing of Bayrdm Vghalan, and the conquest of Gharjistdn,

When Muhammad Khan was free from Buraq Kh^n he thought
to attempt the forts of Gharjistan and sent Qazaq against the fort of
Ash'ar, for Bayram Ughalan and a company of Uzbeks were there.

158

A^S ANU’T-TAWARiKH .

And Bayram, seeing no escape, sent an envoy to Qazaq, asking for
quarter. And a pact was made and Bayram came out. But he was
treacherously slain by Qazaq, who thus became Lord of all Gharjistan.

Deaths.

'Abdu’l-'aziz bin ^Ubayd Khan died at Bukhara. Pir Muham-
mad Khan, the Governor of Balkh, threw himself into Bukhara, and
strengthened the fort, which was besieged by Buraq Khan. But he
could not take it, and departed for Tashkand.

A.H. 938. The Shdh^s expedition to Shahl,(^) and the killing
of Darwlsh Muhammad Khan.

Now Darwish Muhammad Khan had many times shown that he
was an enemy, and the Shah set out against him, being joined by
Lawand Beg, the Governor of Gejorgia. And he moved towards
Shaki. Then Darwish Muhammad Khan would not meet him, and
the Shah sent for him. But he trusted in the strength of. his fort.
So the Shah was angered, and sent Badr Khan ahead and Shah Quli
Sultan Ustajlu ; and they came up with Darwish’s scouts, and over-
threw them, and took captive Amir Yusuf, Manager of the Governor
of Shaki, and sent him to Court. Then Darwish Muhammad Khan left
Mahmud Beg, brother of Jushan Agha, in charge of the fort of Kish,
and himself took refuge in the fort of Kala San. And they had made
a defence in the midst of the Elburz mountains. Then the Shah set
out to conquer the fort, Sunduk Beg Qurchibashi, Badr Khan, and
Shah Quli Sultan, came round about the fort of Kish, and Shah Quli
Khalifa, Keeper of the Seal, and all the high Chiefs came over against
the defence. And ‘Abdullah Khan and Lawand Beg, Governor of
Georgia, camped opposite the fort of Kala San and Kura San. Shah
Quli Khalifa Zu’l-Qadar attacked the defence, but the enemy drove
him back with musket fire. Then ‘Abdullah Khan and Lawand Beg
attacked Kala San and Kura San. After twenty days of fighting the
walls and battlements were broken. And Hasan Beg Ughali, with a
thousand men, ascended a height close to the fort, and caught the
defenders with musket fire. So Mahmud Beg yielded, and came out
of the fort, and handed over the keys of its gates, and was forgiven.
But the fort was levelled with the ground. Then His Majesty
mounted, and went towards the defence, the men of which deserted

AHSANTj’T-TAWSBiKH.

159

in groups to the Persians. And Darwish Muhammad Khan, sore
afraid, left the fort at night ; but he knew not where to go, and he was
caught near the camp of ‘Abdullah Khan and Lawand Beg by one Kusa
Par Qull, an officer of Jarandab Sultan, and he was killed, and his head
was brought to the Shah. Of four hundred men who fled with him two
hundred and fifty were killed. Thus the Shah conquered the district
of Shakl. And he gave the governorship to Tawiqun Beg Qajar.
But Mahmud Beg, the Kotwal of Kish, fearing without cause, fled
from the Royal camp.

Third expedition, of the 8hah(^) to Georgia, and the rum
of the faithless rebels.

While the camp was at Shaki Kaykhusraw, son of Qurqura, sent
certain of the Georgian Chiefs to ask for help. For Wakhfish the Geor-
gian and LawasEn Shir Mazan had taken certain of his provinces.
And at the same time it was heard that Sikandar Pasha had come to
Georgia, and was besieging Ardanuh. So the Shah marched with speed
from Shaki, and the Ghazis surrounded the hills and dales of the infi-
dels, and levelled every place of refuge, nor did any escape. And the
families and possessions of those polytheists were transferred to their
slayers, as their lawful heirs. And the young women were taken cap-
tive. Then some took refuge in the hills, and in oaves, and others in
the forts of Malinkot, Arqaru, Darzabad, and in a wondrous church.
An ri the Moslems slew many, and took the fort of TQmuk and the
other forts. Then it was said that there were many Aznawars(®) in
the fort of Darzabad and in the church, and they meddled with
travellers. So the Shah ordered Badr Khan Ustajlu and ‘Ali Sultan
Takalfl to attack the fort, which therefore they surrounded. Now it
was on a height, near the gate of Tumuk and the source of the river
Kur, and in strength it was like the wall of Alexander and the castle
of Khaybar. In the middle of the fort they had hollowed out a place
ten cubits high, and made a church of four rooms and a long bench,
and had painted its walls without and within with gold and lapis
lazuli and pictures of idols, and arranged a throne in the second room,
and an idol gilt and covered with precious stones, and with two rubies
for the eyes of that lifeless form, and within the church was a
narrow way one hundred and fifty cubits long to go up, cut in
the solid rock. And they had two hidden kiosks for use in times of

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ahsanf’t-tawarikh .

trouble, and there were doors of iron and steel in the outer rooms,
and a golden door in the inner ones. Then the Ghazis fell upon that
place, and climbed above the fort, and slew the men, and took
captive their wives and children. And the Shah and his nobles went
to see the church, and they slew twenty evil priests, and broke the
bell of seventeen maunds weight seven times cast, and destroyed the
doors of iron and gold, and sent them to the treasury. And Badr
Khan Ustajlu broke four candles, each being sixty maunds of wax.
Thus the Shah got great booty ; and in it were two rubies being the eyes
of the idol, each worth fifty tumans. And they levelled the fort with
the ground. So the Georgian Chiefs could go to no other place, and
therefore they yielded, and came to the Court. First Aman Beg
Georgian, Lawasan Shir Mazan Ughali, and Wakhush, came in turn
to the throne. And Kaykhusraw, the son of Qurqura, came with
presents, and the Shah gave him the fort of Tumuk and Aqshahr
and its dependencies, and put to death Wakhush and Shir Mazan
Ughali, who were Governors of that country.

And when the sun was in the Scales, and it was autumn, the
Shah was minded to go to the country of Lawasan bin Baud. And
the army plundered the district of Barat 'Ali, and got much booty.
And the camp moved march after march to Qarabagh. And there
the winter was passed.

This year an ambassador came from the King of Portugal(^) by
way of Ormuz, with gifts, and was received and suffered to return.
And Din Muhammad Uzbek sent Qul Muhammad to the Court.
Khwaja Amir Beg Kachchi, who held office as Minister, was sent to
prison. He had been Wazir of Ghazi Khan Takalu, and, from certain
reports, the Shah was displeased with him. He was imprisoned for
some time, and then it was ordered that he should live at Kirmto.
Afterwards he became Wazir of Amir Sultan Rumlu, and then
Mutawalli of the Rizawi shrine. And further reports of his lack of
respect were heard. Still he was made Minister for the whole of
Khurasan, and this he was for four years. But the tyranny of his
officers affected his reputation. And it came to the Royal ears that he
was beginning to gain influence over the stars, and especially over
the sun, which rules over kings, so that he might control the Shah.
And those who had seen how he kept a yellow calf on a high place
opposite the sun, and stained his face with saffron, and put on saffron

AHSANU’T-TAWAEiKH.

161

garments, told these things in the Royal assembly. So the Shah
commanded that he should be shut up in a box, with his hands out-
side, so that he might not do those things which depend on the
clasping of the hands. And he was sent to the fort of Qahqaha, and,
years after, to Alamut fort. And he is still alive in the present year,
which is A.H. 980.

A.H, 9S9. The Shah goes to the Turkish lands, and spoils them,

Iskandar Pasha, having killed Haji Beg Dumball in Khuy, came
to Chukhur Sa‘d, and burnt the bazar, and returned unopposed to
his own country of Erzerum. By reason of this His Majesty com-
manded an army to be assembled and sent in four divisions on four
expeditions. So Ma’sum Be^ Safaw!,(^) Allah Quli Beg Aychak
Ughali, ‘All Sultan Takalu, Shamsu’d-dln Khan(^) son of Sharaf Khan
Kurd, Khalifa-i- Ansar, (^) Hamza Beg Talish, Ulugh Khan Beg
Sa‘dlu, and others, to Arjish and Bargiri ; Shah Virdi Sultan Ziyad
Ughali, and Adham Beg Rumlu, to Pasin ; Ibrahim Khan Zu’l-Qadar,
Shah Quli Sultan Afshar, and Chiragh Sultan, who were then in Ears,
to plunder Arabian ‘Iraq; Bayram Beg Qajar, Tawiqun Beg Qajar,
and Kaykhusraw, Governor of Georgia, to conquer Dawili. And
straightaway they all set out. Ma‘sum Beg, with two thousand horse,
on Tuesday the seventh day of Sha‘ban, set out from the summer
quarters at Aq Manghan, with ‘All Sultan Takalu, for Arjish ;
Shamsu’d-din Khan, for the plains of Mush and Akhlat; Qaytams
Sultan Khunuslu and Allah Quli Beg Aychak, for ‘Adiljawaz ; Hamza
Beg Talish and Khalifa-i- Ansar, for Bargiri and Band-i-Mahi. When
Ma‘sum Beg reached Arjish, the Sultan’s ofl&cer, Qara Piri, came out
of the fort to fight, and ‘Ali Sultan went to meet him. ‘All Sultan
aimed a spear at Qara Piri’s throat, but was driven back. Then
Ulugh Khan Beg Sa‘dlQ came, and the Turks were overthrown, and
Qara Piri withdrew wounded into the fort. The same day Khalifa-i-
Ansar and Hamza Talish fought with Muhammad Beg and Khurram
Agha who were great officers of the Khwandgar. Them they captured,
killing one hundred and sixty of their men. On Friday the twenty-
seventh day they sent’ their heads and gear to the court. And when
Shamsu’d-din Khan arrived at Akhlat, he killed about a hundred
Turks, and took some thirty thousand sheep, ten thousand oxen and
buffaloes, and three thousand horses, and plundered the country, and
11

162

AHSANU’T-TAWAHiKH,

returned to camp. When Qay tarns Sultan and Allah Quli Sultan
reached the enemy, the Turkish cavalry left the fort of 'Adiljawaz to
fight. But they overcame the Turks, and killed about a hundred.
Meanwhile Ibrahim Beg Bukhti,(^) going to the Sultan’s court, met
the Persians, and sixty of his men were killed, and twp ass-loads of
gold, one load of stuffs, and silver cups and goblets, were taken.

And Shah Virdi Sultan Ziyad Dghali and Adham Beg Rumlu,
who had gone to plunder Pasin and Avanik, fought with Murad
Beg, Governor of the place. And the Persians unseated him from
his horse, and killed many of his men. Murad Beg threw himself
into the fort. Therefore the Chiefs burnt the country, and then
rejoined the Royal camp.

Then, having despatched his Chiefs, the Shah moved from
Aq Manghan. On Tuesday the twenty-fourth day he camped on
the Aras, and from thence he marched straight to the fort of
Akhlat. And the men of the fort were beguiled by the strength
of their towers, and fought with him. But the Turks were forced
into the fort, and its bastions were destroyed by mines. A strange
thing happened; a man who fell three hundred yards with one
of the bastions was uninjured. The Kotwal then yielded up
the fort, which was levelled to the ground. Now before the
Shah set out for Akhlat, he sent most of his Chiefs to Wan. They
sent a thousand horse ahead, and followed slowly. Farhad Pasha
and Badr Beg Bukhti and ten Kurdish Chiefs left the fort, and the
Persian advance guard fell back fighting on the main force. Then
the army appeared, and the Turks and Kurds could not withstand
them, but fled to the fort. And the Qizilbashes pursued and killed
sixty of the Bukhti Kurds and Turks. All the grain and houses
of Wan,(®) Wustan, Amuk, Kawash, Albaq, andKhushab, were burnt,
and the Persians then rejoined the Royal camp at Akhlat, by way
of Guzil Dara and Kawash. At that time the Tehran qurchis, and
Muhammad Beg Turkman, and Amir Shan Beg Bayat,(®) arrived
according to orders, having plundered rebellious Kurds wheresoever
they met them. Wlxen they reached Albaq the Kurdish Chiefs,
Zaynal Beg and ShSih Qul! Balilan, gathered a great host, and made
ready to fight, but they fled at their coming. And the Ghazis plun-
dered the country, , and joined the Persian Chiefs at Wustan. Then
the Shah sent Shah Virdi Sultan Ziyad Ughali and Adham Beg

AHSANXj’T-TAW^RiKH.

163

Rumlfi to Bitlis,(^) after the sack of Pasin. And, coming to Mush,
they attacked the forces of that place, and killed many ; and a troop
left the fort to fight, but many of them were slain. And the Chiefs,
having burnt the district, set out for Bitlls. Mustafa Beg, Nasir Beg
Zarql, and Abdal Beg, with three hundred horse, left the fort to fight ;
most were killed, and the rest fled back to the fort. Having burnt
the country, the Persians rejoined the camp.

At this time word came from Georgia that Sikandar Pasha had
overcome Bay ram Beg Qajar. Now Bayram Beg and Kaykhusraw
had gone to Dawili, and captured two or three forts. And Sikandar
Pasha marched with speed, and of a sudden fell upon them, when
Bayram and Kaykhusraw were away. Tawiqun Beg Qajar and Badr
Beg Yuzbashi fought bravely, but the Turks were too many. And
Sikandar Pasha, having slain three hundred Ghazis and Georgians,
returned to Erzerum.

The Shah sends Prince Ismd%l to Erzerum;
defeat of Sikandar Pasha,

When this news came, the Shah commanded Prince Isma‘11 to
go to Erzerum, attaching to him Shah Virdi Sultan Ziyad Ughali, Badr
Khan Ustajlu, Shah Quiz Sultan Ustajlu, Muhammadi Beg Turkmto,
Adam Beg Rumlu, Amir Ghayb Beg Ustajlu, Allah Qull Beg Aychak
Ughali, Hamza Beg Talish, Khalifa-i-Ansar, Ulugh Beg Sa'dlu,
Ibrahim Khalifa Alpawat, Zu’l-faqar Beg PazukI, Qunqura Sultan
Rumlu, with one thousand Tehrto qurchis and six hundred Nakhchi-
wan qurchis. And they set out with speed, and the Prince sent Shah
Virdi Sultan Ziyad Ughali, Muhammadi Beg Turkman, Adham Beg
Rumlu, in advance to Pasin, and himself followed. The Turkish
force at Pasin was overthrown ; it fled to Erzerum with a loss of three
hundred. When Sikandar Pasha heard this he sent the Qullar
Aghasi of Erzerum with two hundred and fifty horse to reconnoitre.
They met fifty men of the Persian Chiefs, and were overthrown.
Then Sikandar’s Chiefs, being called in council, advised that they
should retire to the fort ; but, trusting in his numbers, being Turks and
Kurds from Arzinjto, Tarjan, Bayburd, Kamakh, Mar'ash, Trebizond,
Kurdistan, and Georgia, he was minded to fight. So the next day he
left the fort, and drew up in line of battle* Twenty wagons were
posted in front. And the Prince came by forced marches, and

164

AHSAKXj’T-TAWARiKH.

camped at Pasin, and sent ahead Adham Beg RumlQ, who met and
attacked Sikandar Pasha’s men, and took a certain man, who said
that the Pasha had come out of the fort, and was ready for battle.
Then the Prince mounted his horse, and marched to the battle-field.
And at the first there came to the battle Muhammad! Beg Turkman,
Adham Beg Rumlu, and Amir Ghayb Beg Ustajlu; and after them
Ulugh Khan Beg Sa'dlti, Ibrahim Khan Alpawat, and the rest. And
battle was joined. Then Sikandar Pasha left the centre, and
attacked; but he was surrounded by the Ghazis. The Prince took
his place on a hillock, hard by the battle-line. And when the Turks
saw his standard they fled to the fort. And the Persians pursued
after them with speed. And many fell into the fort moat, which was
choked with men and horses. And they forgot to close the gates, so
that three Ghazis entered the fort. The Prince desired to enter the
fight, but Badr Khan and Shah Quli Sultan seized his horse’s reins,,
and tried to stop him. But the Prince was angered and abused
them, and forced them to let go. Howbeit the qurchis would not
allow him to go into the battle. Two thousand five hundred and
seventy-six Turks were killed, besides those that perished in the moat
and elsewhere. Of the great Chiefs Kabir Tsa, (®) Governor of Mar^ash ;
Mahmud Beg, who, in the time of QansQ, King of Egypt, was Governor
of Aleppo ; Ramazan Beg, the brother of Sikandar Pasha ; Pir Husayn
Beg, Governor of Chamishguzik ; Khayru’-d-din Beg, Governor of
Malatiya ; Mustafa Beg, Wali of Trebizond ; Haydar Beg, Mir of Pasin ;
‘ Ali Agha, Qullar Aghasi of the slaves of the Sultan ; ‘Ali Beg, brother
of Sikandar Pasha’s wife ; and the Qazi of Erzerum ; were captured.
And other Chiefs, and young nobles, and leading soldiers beyond
number, were killed. At this time ‘Usman Pasha, Governor of Qara-
man, and Khizr Pasha Zu’l-Qadar, were at Arzinjan when news of
this ruin was spread abroad in their camp : perhaps a number of men
fled to the camp, and brought this dreadful news. So they left
Arzinjan, and fled. The Prince camped over against the fort, and,
after a few days, joined the Royal camp.

Siege of the fort of Arjlsh hy the Shah,

After the victory at Akhlat, the Shah commanded Badr Khan
Ustajlu, with other chiefs, to advance and reconnoitre, and himself
set out, and camped near Adiljawaz fort, which he observed from a

AHSAlJiru’T-TAWAIliKH.

165

hillock. The fort was under the command of Mustafa Beg, son of
Yullar Qisti Pasha, who trusted in its strength, and sent out a force
from it, of which many were slain by the Ghazis, who then marched
on. And a Royal command was made that the army should be
equipped and drawn up and should march. And the Shah’s tent was
pitched over against the fort of Arjish, which was full of Kurds and
Janissaries, and ready for defence. Then the Persians surrounded the
fort, and fell upon it. The army was ordered to take cover, and
Stinduk Beg Qurchibashi took cover in a church near the fort. And
a sortie was made from the fort, but five men were killed, and
thereafter none dared to go out. For three months, by reason of the
strength of the place and the depth of its moat, there was no way to
assault, or to gain its towers. tAnd Darwish Beg the gunner arrayed
a gun, and fired; bringing dismay to the defenders.

Behtash Ughall is sent hy the Shah to Akhldt.

Now when the Shah sent Prince Isma^il against Sikandar Pasha,
it was heard that men were bringing ten loads of gold for the
^Adiljawaz garrison. So Bektash Ughali was sent with one hundred
and fifty qurchls to intercept it. When they arrived near Akhlat,
Mustafa Beg, the son of Yullar Qisti Pasha, Governor of ‘Adiljawaz,
sent about three hundred men against the Ghazis. Bat the qurchis
overcame them, and killed forty-seven, and brought their heads and
their gear to the Court.

This year, too, Pahlawan Quli Sultan(®) and Hajim Sultan(^®)
Uzbek of a sudden went from Khwarazm to the neighbourhood of
Isfarain. And Majnun Sultan Shamlu, governor of the country,
was slain in battle by them. And the Uzbeks plundered the country
and returned home.

A.H. 960, The Shah's capture of Arjish fort.

When Prince Isma^il returned victoriously from Erzerum he
joined the camp outside Arjish, and set up the heads of those slain at
Erzerum over against the fort. So the enemy, knowing that they
could not withstand the Qizilbashes, took counsel together, and
they killed the Governor of the fort, Ibrahim Beg Bukhti, and brought
up the Ghazis by one of the ruined ramparts. And the greater part
of the Kurds they captured and brought below ; and they scalped

166

ahsaku’t-tawarIkh.

them. And the Shah commanded that the fort should be destroyed;
and so it was done.

The conquest of the fort of Bnrgm,

Then the Royal camp turned to Bargiri, and they were set upon
the capture of that fort. But Muhammad Beg Zakir Ughali, Com-
mandant on behalf of the Sultan, shut the gates, and fired on the
attackers. And the Shah ordered a general attack. Then Zakir
Ughali and the Turks mounted the bastions, and asked for quarter,
and, receiving it, came out of the fort, and handed it over to the
Persians. And he was honoured and given presents. The Shah then
marched from Bargiri, and passed Div Jama, and sent the Prince to
raid Kurdistan. Shah Quli Balilan, tl^e Governor of that place, fied ;
and some were captured and their goods were taken, and the army
got much booty of goods and horses and mules and cattle and men ;
and the Kurds were destroyed, so that the men of the country were
free from their oppression. The Shah also sent some Chiefs to raid
the Mahmudi tribe. Hasan Beg, their Chief, having a helper, escaped
from the hands of the Ghazis, and his brother took refuge at the Court,
and was received honourably. The Shah sent the Prince, with
Sunduk Beg Qurchibashi, Muhammadi Beg Turkman, and other Chiefs,
to raid the Kur country. But they could not cross the Kur hills
because of the snow, which was a spear’s depth, and returned. Then
the Shah went back to his own country, and entered Nakhchiwan in
the second month of RabP.

Miscellaneous events.

This year the Shah sent Amir Shams-u’d-din Dayljani on an
embassy to Turkey. Sultan Sulayman spent the winter at Aleppo,

Deaths.

Sultan Mustafa(^) bin Sultan Sulayman Padshah of Turkey. It
was reported by the Grand Wazir that he was disloyal and he was-
put to death. ‘ Makr-i-Rustam ’ (Rustam’s deceit) gives the date. And
a few days later his son, Sultan Muhammad, was also killed — ' Sitam-
i-mukarrar ’ (repeated tyranny) gives the date. Qazi-i-Jahan(2) WaklL
—a Sayfi Sayyid of Qazwin — was a gifted Wazir, and an elegant
writer, and a ready debater, surpassing all others, and by all recognized ;

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

167

just and God fearing ; modest, notwithstanding his high degree. He
was at first a servant of Qazi Muhammad Kashi, and after-
wards, in the days when Mirza Shah Husayn was Wakil, he was,
with Khwaja Jalalu’d-din Muhammad of Tabriz, Wazir of Mirza
Shah Husayn. After the burning of- Khwaja Jalalu’d-din Muham-
mad he became independent Wazir, and, at the time of the Takalu
and Ustajlu dispute, he went to Gilan, and was imprivSoned for
some time by Muzaffar Sultan, son of Husamu’-d-din, who, because
of an old quarrel, treated him with indignity. Between him and the
Nur Bakhshis there was hereditary enmity; and Muzaffar Sultan
held himself a disciple of that sect ; and the}^’ incited him to further
acts of indignity. When Muzaffar Sultan came into trouble Qazi-i-
Jahan left Gilan, and was again made Wazir, together with Amir
Sa'du’d-din Inayatullah Khuzani. But Sa‘du’d-din was ever affront-
ing the Qazi, till he was freed from the hands and tongues of med-
dlers. After that the Qazi became independent Minister, which he
was for fifteen years. He lived past sixty, nay, up to seventy
and eighty, and became too weak to continue, and asked permission
to resign. But afterwards he repented ; but in vain. Then he lived
some days in Qazwin. And the Shah heard that certain dedicated
villages were being enjoyed by him. The Shah ordered them to be
taken away with contumely, and also the equivalent of revenues re-
ceived. But, before these orders were carried out, he repaired to
Court, and the Shah pitied his age, and forgave him, and gave him a
grant; and he returned to Qazwin. This year he died at the
Zanjan river, and was buried at Shahzada Husayn. (®)

A,H, 961, The Turks conquer Shahrizur.i^)

This year ‘Usmto Pasha, by command of the Sultan, came to
Shahriztir, and Surkhab Kurd, who had become Ruler of that country,
after Biga Ardalan, was besieged in the fort of Zalam, and sent for
help to the Shah, who sent to help him Ibrahim Mirza and Badr
Khan and Amir Ghayb Beg. They captured certain officers of the
Turkish army, and brought them to the Persian Chiefs, and 'Usman
was sore afraid, and marched back to his own land. The Royal
camp was then at the village of Araiq, and Sayyid Shamsu’d-din
Dayljtoi, who had gone to Turkey, came back with a letter that
lacked respect. Therefore the Shah sent the Prince, and Ma'sum

168

AHSAlSru’T-TAWARiKH.

Beg Safawi, and Shah Quli Khalifa Keeper of the Seal, and Ghazis,
to raid the Turkish lands ; and Sultan Husayn Mirza and Shah Virdi
Sultan Ziyad Ughali to raid Kurdistan. And the Prince plundered
Wan, Wustan, Arjish, and ‘Adiljawaz, and returned safe and with
booty. And Sultan Husayn Mirza and Shah Virdi plundered and
burnt Kur, and rejoined the camp with much spoil at Nakhchiwan.

Fourth expedition of the Sultan to Adarhayjan,

The Sultan left Aleppo in the spring with a large army for Adar-
bayjan. And the Shah left Nakhchiwan for his summer quarters at
Bazarchayi.{^) And Alwand Khan Beg Sa'dlu set out to scout and
met Ghazan Beg scouting for the Turks, and overcame him, and
killed twenty-five of his men, and sent their heads to the Court. At
this time the Sultan arrived at Nakhchiwan with an army that none
could count, and covered the plain with his tents. Then the ofi&cers of
Hasan Beg Yuzbashi captured thirty Turkish scouts, and killed
thirty others. And Alwand Khan Sa^dlu killed two hundred and
fifty of the men belonging to the agent of Ahmad Pasha, the Grand
Wazir, who was following the Turkish army with stores. Then the
Sultan burnt Nakhchiwto, and returned towards Erzerum. And the
Persians killed many Kurds, and took others capture. The Shah
sent Shah Virdi to Pasxn, which he raided before the Sultan came.
When the Turks were thus abased, the Shah left Bazarchayi, and
marched towards the Turkish lands. And the Ghazis raided the
province of Dawili, and took much plunder. From the village of
Qanlu Chamani the Shah sent Shah Khalifa, the Keeper of the Seal,
towards tjlti.(®) And the Persian Chiefs met Sinan Beg, who had
come by the Sultan’s order to repair the roads, and killed most of his
men, and captured him, and sent him to the Royal camp. Now the
Sultan had hinted at peace, and the Shah, therefore, pardoned Sinstn
Beg, and sent him with Shah Quli Beg Qajar to the Sultan. And
they represented what ruin was brought about by the war. So Sul-
tan Sulayman was inclined towards peace, and sent Shah Quli Beg
back. And darkness was changed to light, and a covenant was
made.

Fourth expedition(^) of the Shah to Georgia,

At this time it was reported that the Gabrs were rebelling. So
therefore the Shah set out to destroy the land of the infidels. And

ahsanxj’t-tawaeikh.

169

^11 that country was forest, so that the wind could not blow through
i)he trees. And the infidels scattered, and Lawasan, the son of
Daud, the Governor of the land, fled to a place of refuge. And the
•Georgians, being sore afraid, escaped to the hills and caves and
forests, and were besieged in forts. And the Ghazis slew the men,
and took capture their wives and children, and took booty, of cattle
and sheep. Then the army marched on Gorl, the capital of
X<awasan, and plundered that land, and took prisoner fair young
women and round-faced boys. Then they reached the fort of
Mazrut, which never yet had been conquered by the Moslems. And
the troops surrounded it, and the Kotwal Parsatan was dismayed,
and left the fort, and yielded it up. Then the Shah set out for the
fort of Aydin, the defenders whereof were Aznawars ; and Lawasan
had left his mother there. The Persians fell upon the defenders, and
destroyed them with cannon and mines, and assaulted and entered
the fort, and captured the mother of Lawasto and most of the
Aznawars. Then the Shah was told that there was a fort hard by,
where the Georgians had taken refuge, Shah Virdi Sultan Ziyad
Ughali was appointed to take that fort. And he did so ; and return-
ed to camp. The army took many forts, and many prisoners, even
more than thirty thousand, and much booty ; and came to Barda .( )
‘Then proclamations were sent around Persia with the glad tidings,

^Abdullah Khan's war with Qdsim Beg Shlrwanl.

When Sultan Sulayman came to Idarbayjan, he sent Qasim
Beg Shirwani by way of KafEa to Shirwan. So Qasim passed by
Darband, and came to Shirwan. And the Shirwams left ‘Abdullah
in battalions, and joined him. ‘Abdullah met them at the village of
Tanka and attacked, but, because of the strength of that place he
-eould do nothing, and returned to Shamakhl. And Qasim Beg came
to the fort of Biqrid and stayed there forty days, and then he left
it, along with certain short-sighted men, for Gulistan fort ; for there
^Abdullah Khan was. And Qasim withstood ‘Abdullah with two
thousand horse and Janissaries; ‘Abdullah, too, had two thousand
lorse. The battle lasted from morn till between the two prayers.
And fifteen hundred of the foe were slain, and the dependents of
^Abdullah’s camp came to help. Then the Shirwams, thinking it was
reinforcement from the Shah, fled towards Tabarsaran, and were

1 70 AiHSANU’T-TAWAHiKH.

pursuod by tli6 Grhazis. And ma/iiy wGr© slain, and minarets of their
heads were set up.

Miscellaneous events.

This year the Shah sent Farrukhzad Beg Ishik Aghasi with a
letter to the Sultan to cement friendship. And ‘Usman Pasha came
to Shahrizur against Surkhab, who left his country without a fight,
and came to Mariwan,(®) and the Turks conquered the land.

Deaths.

Sulayman Shah bin Shir Khan Afghan, (^) Ruler of Hindustan.
Then disorder spread in that State as far as the Indian Ocean.

This year also died Sultan Mahmud, Ruler of Gujarat, ’ and
Nizamu’l-mulk of the Deccan. Mawlana Qasim wrote verses on the
death of these three kings.

Mawlana Hayrati(®J was the leading poet of his time. He died
this year at K ash an from a fall from a kiosk. He wrote qasldas and
a diwan of ghazals, and the Bahjatu’l-mabahij, and a qasida in reply
to that of Khwaja Salman Sawaji, and a complaint against the
Qazwinis.

A.H. 962. The Shah sends an army against Ubd.Q)

This year news of the rebellion of Uba Turkman came, and the
Shah sent Kukja Suit to Qajar, and ‘All Sultan Tati Ughali, with
a company of warriors, to Astarabad. They, and Jarandab Sultan
ShamlQ, and Mustafa Beg Warsaq, marched with speed towards
the Yaqa Turkmans, and captured their families. Some days after
Uba came against Jarandab and Mustafa, who defeated him. Sayf
Beg Bay at, who had left Kukja Sultto’s camp to scout, was met by
Uba and many of his men ; and they captured him after much fighting.
Then Kukja Sultto and the other chiefs pursued Uba, who fled to
the Governor of Khwarazm, ‘Ali Sultan Uzbek, and asked for help
from him. So ‘Ali Sultan marched against the Persians with a large
army; but, when he came near them, he sent them presents of horses,
and they sent back his ofi&cer with a dress of honour. After thus
making peace, Kukja Sultan died, and the rest returned home.

The war of Humayun Padshah with Sultan Iskandar.l^)

Kow when Humayun came to know of the disorder in Hindus-
tan, he set out for that country with a large army. And he met and

AipiSANU’T-TAWAItiKH.

171

overthrew Husayn Khan and Path Khan at the river Makhura,
Then he marched on Delhi. Sultan Iskandar marched for Sirhind
also with a large army, and surrounded his camp with a moat.
And both got ready their armies and their elephants, and the Hindus
blew their conches. Then the first charge was made by Prince Jalalu’
d-dm Akbar, Bayram Khan, Shah Abti’l-ma'all, Tardi Beg, and
Bahadur Sultan. And in the end the victory was to Humayun.
Many of the enemy were killed, and many were captured. And the
next day Humayun marched on Delhi, and took possession of the
land of Hind.

Miscellaneous events.

The Shah marched from Qarabagh, and arrived at Tabriz. And
His Majesty commanded a feast to be made in the Garden of the
North, and he married Prince Isma"il(^) to a girl of his family. In
the autumn the Shah left for Qazwin. And this year Ibrahim Khan
Zu’l-Qadar was visited with the Shah’s displeasure on the fourteenth
day of the first month of Ilabi‘, and the governorship of Shiraz was
bestowed on ‘All Sultan Tati Ughali.(^)

Deaths,

Humayun Padshah bin Babur Padshah bin ‘Umar Shekh bin
Sultan Abu Sa‘id bin Mirza Sultan Muhammad bin Miran Shah bin
Sahib Qiran Amir Timur Gurgan.(®) Untimely sleep came over him,
and his staff broke, and he fell violently from the roof, and died
straightaway. He was a splendid king, learned and a patron of
learned and skilful men. His gifts were never less than a lakh,
which is two hundred tumans. He reigned for twenty-six years and
his realm was from Qandahar to the middle of Hindustan. Mawlana
Qasim Gahi(®) wrote verses on the date of his death. After his death
his eldest son Jalalu’d-din Akbar succeeded him. His other son
Muhammad Hakim Mirza stayed at Kabul. And Bayram Khan
Baharlu{^) kept all power in his own hands, and Akbar had nought but
the name of King.

Khwaja Jam^/lu’d-din Muhammad was a learned and eloquent
man, and, notwithstanding his great acquirements, he was free from
pride. And he learned from Mawltoa Jalalu’d-din Muhammad
Dawwani. He died this year. Among his works is an Isbat-i-Wajib,
against Mawlana Jalalu’d-din.

172

AHSAKU’T-TAWAKiKH.

A,H. 968. The war between Shah Virdl Sultan Ziyad Ughall
and Lawasdn, the Georgian,

This year Lawasan left Gori and came to the neighbourhood of
fort Kush.(^) And Shah VirdI gathered together the Qarabagh army,
and moved against him. So Lawasan fled, and the Ghazis pursued
after him, leaving Shah Virdi with only fifty men. And Lawasan
waited on rising ground to fight, and he overthrew the Ghazis and slew
three hundred. And most of the infidels entered upon pursuit, but
Lawasan stayed behind with a priest. Meanwhile Muhammad Beg
Chapani, with a few men, came upon Lawasan unawares, and
straightaway fell on him. And Lawasan fell from his horse, and was
wounded by Zakir, one of Muhammad Beg’s men. Then the Gabrs
in turn attacked. And Muhammad Seg escaped on Lawasan’s horse.
The Gabrs killed Zakir and others of the Chapanis, but Lawasan, (‘^)
who was a man of mischief and rebellion and infidelity, died. And
the Gabrs took up his body, and retired to their own land.

Events in India. The war of ATcbar with Hemu the Hindu.

Now when news of the death of Humayun reached Agra the
infidel Hemu thought of being king, and gathered together men from
every province, and marched towards Delhi. And Tardi Beg, the
Governor of that city on behalf of Akbar, could not withstand
him, but fled. So Akbar commanded a vast host to set out. And
"All Quli Khan Uzbek, and Bahadur Sultan, were sent to reconnoitre ;
and the Emperor followed them. Scouts reported that Hemu had
arrived at Sirhind. In the morning Akbar entrusted his forces to his
Chiefs, Bayram Beg Baharlu, Tardi Beg, Muhammad Qasim Naysha-
puri, and Husayn Quli Zu’l-Qadar ; and he made 'Ali Quli Khan and
Bahadur Sultan advance guard. And Hemu prepared his weapons of
war, and four hundred elephants. And in the beginning 'Ali Quli
Khan and Bahadur Sultan attacked the infidels. Then Hemu was
struck by an arrow, and killed. And the Hindus were smitten and
fled, and were pursued and put to the sword. And Akbar conquered,
and camped on the field of battle.

The siege of Qandahar by the Amirs,

When Humayun had conquered India Bayram Khan Baharlu,
the Emperor’s chief man, gave Qandahar to Shah Muhammad

AHSANtr’T-TAWlEIKH.

173 .

Qalati,(^) and himself set out for India. Therefore Bahadur Sultan,
the son of Haydar Khan Uzbek, Governor of the Land of Dawar,
besieged Qandahar. And Shah Muhammad Qalati sent messengers to-
ask the Shah for help, and Sultan Husayn Mirza, son of Bahram
Mirza, Wall Khalifa Shamlu, and Allah Quli Beg, son of Dana Beg
Afshar, were sent with many men. At this time Shah Virdi Beg, son
of Khalifa Shamlu, fell suddenly upon Bahadur Sultan, who, after
they had fought, fled to India. But Shah Muhammad Qalati shut
the gates of the fort in the face of the Ghazis, who surrounded the
city of Qandahar, and fought with the enemy for nearly three
months. And one day Shah Muhammad, with his men, came out,
and attacked Wali Khalifa when his men were scattered. Neverthe-
less he was bravely resisted by some, and many were killed on both
sides, and the enemy retired again to the fort. Then, with the
approval of Husayn Beg Aychak Ughali, the Persians marched off to
Khurasan, but Khalifa Wali Shamlu came to the Land of Dawar, and,
after much fighting, conquered the fort.

Miscellaneous events.

This year the Shah gave Herat to Prince Isma'il, and sent for
Sultan Muhammad Mirza. Summer quarters were at Daryawuk.(^)
This year the Chiefs repented of all their sins.

Deaths,

Buraq Khan(^) bin Sunjuk Sultan bin Abu’l-Khayr Khan bin
Dawlat Shekh Ughalan bin Fulad Ughalan bin Ayba Khwaja bin
Taghatay bin Balaghan bin Shayban bin Juji bin Chingiz Khan.
When he took Samarqand from the sons of Abu Sa‘id Khan, and
the land around Bukhara from Burhan Sa'id, 'Ubayd Khan’s grand-
son, he also took the province of Miyankal, which now is known
as Shahrukhiyya,(®) from the sons of Jani Beg Sultan, and the cities
of Sabz and Qarshi, which belonged to the sons of Fulad Sultan,
from them. And he claimed the right to lead a canal from the
Shahrukhiyya river, between Tashkand and Samarqand, to a fertile
vaUey on the Samarqand side ; for in winter the way between these
cities was closed by snow ; and he would have twenty thousand men
of his tribe to winter in that plain, and be near him. By chance he^
went on this work to the aforesaid plain; and he drank wine, and

174

ahsanu’t-tawarikh.

made approaches to the son of his secretary. The lad wounded
him five times with a knife, and fled to the Chiefs of Hisar. And
Buraq Khan died of his wounds. His age was fifty-six, and his
country was Tashkand, Farghana, Samarqand, and four parts of
Bukhara. Darwish Sultto, his eldest son, became Khan, and Baba
Sultan, Amir Sultan, Khwarazm Sultan, and all his other brothers
submitted. When news of Buraq’s death reached Kashghar,
Rashid Khan,(^) Governor of that land, gathered his forces and made
for Andijto, for Buraq’s father Sunjuk Sultan had taken it from his
father. And Burhan Sa‘id, too, got possession of all the neighbour-
hood of Bukhara. And Haqq Nazar Khan Qazaq moved from the
country of Qurq and Qurba, with the hope of getting Tashkand.
After Buraq, coinage and prayers ^ere done in the name of Pir
Muhammad Khan bin Jani Beg Sultan. In a short time the sons of
Iskandar Khan, ‘Abdullah Khan and Tbadullah Khan, grew up, and
raised to the throne their father, who was seated in the nook of
obscurity and retirement. And Pir Muhammad Khan was forced to
coin in his name.

Mir Asadullah Shushtari(®) was an accomplished Sayyid, versed
in the sciences, both experimental and historical. He was born at
Shushtar, but passed most of his life at Mashhad, where he studied
religious and philosophical subjects, and was the most prominent of
those that attended the Mujtahid of the Time. When Muizzu’d-din
Muhammad’s resignation was confirmed, the Shah took counsel with
his learned men and nobles, and the Mujtahid recommended Mir
Asadullah, who was sent for and given the Ministership. He
composed works in most of the sciences ; among them he translated
at the command of the Mujtahid of the Time, when in his service, a
tract of curses, and a tract concerning the signs of the appearance of
the Lord of Command, (®) entitled Jila’u’l-‘uyun, proving the
existence of that Being. And this year he died.

AM, 964, The Shah goes to Tabriz, The arrest of Qdzl
Muhammad and Haydar Beg Ams,(^)

Early next spring the Shah left Qazwin for the Sahand summer
quarters. Qazi Muhammad, son of QazI Musafir, had vexed all men
by his licentious ways. So the Shah commanded that he should be
•seized; and then he marched from Sahand to Jarandab, and at that

AHSAKtl’T-TAWARIKH.

175

■time the Qazf s protector, Haydar Beg Anis, was taken. And these
two were imprisoned in the Alamut fort. Then the Shah set his face
towards the capital (Tabriz), where he was met by all the chief
persons. And soon after he set out for Qazwin, where his winter
quarters were.

Events in Transoxiana ; war of the Uzbeks with one another.

Now Sultan Sa^id bin Abii Sa^id Khan bin Kuchum Khan, with
Abdullah Khto(^) bin Jam Beg Sultan, set out, with unnumbered
hosts, to take Samarqand. And they besieged that city. Mean-
while Darwish Khan, son of Biiraq Khan, the chief of the Uzbek
Sultans in splendour and size of army and extent of land, came out
from Tashkand, to fight Sultan Sa‘id and ‘Abdullah Khan. They met
at the village of , and Darwish Khan was overthrown, and fled

to Tashkand. Then Sultan Sa‘id took Samarqand, and ‘Abdullah set
out for Bukhara. At this time Burhan Sa‘Id,(®) grandson of ‘Ubayd
Khan, Governor of the district, was attracted by a boy, and went
secretly at night to his house. And the youth killed him, and sent
his head to ‘Abdullah Khan. And the Bukhara army yielded up the
oity to ‘Abdullah, when they heard of Burhan Sa‘id’s death.

Miscellaneous events.

This year Shah Vird! Sultan Ziyad Ughali and Sulayman Bayat,
with the Qarabagh army, attacked Georgia. The Georgians fled to
the hills, and the Ghazis plundered all the Gori country and Suri,
and Barat ‘Ali, destroying villages and houses and trees and fruit.
They then returned to Ganja. At that time the Shah was at Tabriz.
Tabit Agha ZuT-Qadar, who had gone to Turkey as envoy, returned
to Court with presents from the Khwandgar.

This year Dust Khan^^) fought with Yunus Khan, and overthrew
him, and took Khwarazm. Yunus Khto, with his brother Pahlawan
'Quli Sultan, came to Qazwin, and was received. The date is given by
’‘ Khwarazmiya

Deaths,

Kamran Mirza(®) bin Babur Padshah. After his brother’s defeat
he ruled in Kabul and Ghaznin. At last he was caught by Humayun
and blinded. And after this he dwelt at Mecca, and died this year.

AHSANU'T-TAWARiKH.

Muhammad Khan Sharaf Ughall Takalu, Governor of Herat.
The Shah bestowed his province on his son Qazaq,

A.H. 965, The Ohazis^ war with Uba Turkman,

Now Uba Turkman came to the Astarabad district, and Ibrahim
Khan Zu’l-Qadar, being sore afraid, humbly appealed to the Shah.
Therefore it was commanded that Shah Quli Khalifa Muhrdar and
Badr Khan Ustajlu should march with speed against Uba. So on
the second day of Sha‘ban they left Qazwin with many men, and
were joined by all the Chiefs, Yadgar-i>Muhammad Beg Turkman,
Hasan Beg Ughall, Qasim Beg Darogha Ughali, Ahmad Beg Qiya
Ughall. Then Uba, when he heard of their advance, left his family
and fled, and the Ghazis plundered his camp. But Uba again ap-
peared and joined battle. The battle^ lasted till night, for the Persian
horses were tired, but Uba at last fled to his camp, having captured
a string of animals in the way. And the next day he collected men,
and again attacked and again fled, for the horses of the Ghazis had
thrown off their fatigue. And the Turkmans, dismayed by this
battle, took the road to Khwarazm, and asked help from ‘AH
Sultan. And the Persian Chiefs marched with speed to the Atrak,
suffering from the heat of the desert. And Shsih QulI Muhrdar, their
Chief, died of colic on Saturday the eighteenth day of Ramazan. And
the other Chiefs obeyed not Badr Khta, but each did as seemed good
in his own eyes. And, after some days, they wearied their horses by
attacking the camp of the Turkmans. Then they heard that ‘AH Sultan,
brother of Din Muhammad, forgetting his duty, had left Khwarazm
with a large army to help Uba, and was nigh at hand. So Badr
Khan set out to attack. Now ‘AH Sultan, being cautious, had sur-
rounded his camp with a ditch and an embankment of sand-bags,
and had made his camels lie down, and posted his musketeers. And
the Ghazis began to fight ; and when they reached the ditch they
were fired on. Uba came with two hundred men behind the army,
and Badr Khan, notwithstanding the warning of the other Chiefs
sent none to keep him off. So Uba came from behind, and fired.
Then the servants were forced back by the Turkman fire on the
horsemen, and the centre was thrown into confusion. But Rustam
Khan and a party of Ghazis passed the ditch, and entered the centre
of the Uzbek camp, and ‘AH Sultan in confusion thought to flee.

AHSANTj'T-TAWABiKH.

177

But Eustam chanced to be struck by gun-shot and killed, and the
Uzbeks, taking heart, fired on the Ghazis. Thus the Persian Chiefs
were overthrown, and driven into the Gurgto river, and many were
drowned. Their horses, riderless and free, went grazing in the
desert. Ibrahim Khan and certain horsemen were killed, and Badr
Khto and Yadgar Turkman were captured. Husayn Beg Path Ugliall
and Ahmad Beg Qiya Ughali and a company of Ghazis escaped to
Damaghan. But *'Ali Sultan left the place, and returned to Khwarazm.

The conquest of Qandahar Fort by the Persian Chiefs and the Prince,

Now when Humayun fled to the Shah he covenanted that he
would hand over Qandahar when he recovered India. But he died
soon after he reconquered India. ••Then the Shah ordered Sultan Husayn
Mirza, son of Bahram Mirza, and ‘Ali Sultan, Governor of vShiraz, to
essay the capture of Qandahar. So they set off, and camped near
the Qandahar Port, and began to attack it. Shah Muhammad
Qalati, the Commandant on behalf of Akbar, withstood them bravely,,
but at last he was forced to surrender the fort, and hand over its
keys. Then he repaired to Akbar’s court, and the Persians returned
to their homes.

M iscellaneous e vents ,

On the night of the twenty-second day of the first month of
Jumada a flood at Qazwin(^) ruined two thousand houses. This
year the Shah left the old palace, and went to his new palace.
Mawlana Muhtasham(^) gives two dates in one commemorative line.

The murder of Uba Turkman.

Now Uba, after he had defeated the Persians, married a daughter
of Khwaja Muhammad, son of Khwaja Muzaffar Bitikchi; and
Khwaja Muhammad’s servants went to him. And they plotted with
his wife to kill Uba. But he heard of their plotting, and sent for
Muhibb 'All and his companions, and warned them. Then they were
afraid, and told his wife, and she bade them to^have horses ready, and
told them where Uba was. So MuWbb ‘All entered Uba’s tent, and
found him asleep, and cut off his head, and sent it to the Shah at
Qazwin. And he and Uba’s wife fled on horses towards Astarabad.

178

AHSANXl’T-TAWARiKH.

Deaths.

Shekli Zaynn’d-din Jabal ‘Amili(^) was a man of scientific and
historical repute, who was martyred this year, being sent for by
Rustam Pasha, the Grand WazTr of the Khwandgar, from Mecca and
put to death; for the Sunnis said he was a Shi‘a, naj^- a RafizL
Among his works are : — Commentaries on the Sharayi' and the
LumaS and the Alfiya and Shafiya; Rules, following the Rules of
the Shekh-i-shahid ( ; Tract on the Secrets of Prayer ; Tract on the
Ceremonies of the Pilgrimage ; Tract on the Dignity of the Disap-
pearance.

A.H. 966.

This year Sultan Sulayman disjnissed Sultan Bayazid(^) from
the governorship of Kutahiya, and gave it to his eldest son Sultan
Salim, who was in Qonia. Then Bayazid began to distribute things
to the people, and gathered an army, and marched against Salim
towards Qonia. And the Sultan, being told thereof by Salim, sent
Ahmad Pasha, Amiru’l-umarst of Anatolia, and Farhad Pasha, Gover-
nor of Qaraman, and ‘Ali Pasha Zu’l-Qadar, in haste, to seize Baya-
zid and kill him. And when they came near Qonia, Salim came out
of the fort, and joined them. The armies met near the city, and
Bayazid attacked. They fought from morn to eve, and eight thou-
sand men were killed. In the morning the fight was continued.
And Bayazid overthrew his enemy’s right and left wings, which fled
as far as Constantinople; but his centre was broken, and he fled
towards Amasia. There he cut off the heads of three of his officers,
and sent them to the Sultan, and wrote a letter, asking for pardon,
and saying he had been misled by those people. But the Sultan
would not listen, and sent an army after him. So he fled to
Erzerum, where the Governor, Ayaz Pasha, sent a courtier to meet
him with gifts. So Bayazid stayed there ; but Iskandar Pasha, with
forty thousand horse, marched by the Sultan’s order after him. And
he was fain to leave his kit and fly with ten thousand trusted follow-
ers; and Quduz FarhM, and Aq Saq Sayfu’d-din, and others, got
him safely out of that fight. Then Iskandar pursued after him as
far as Qaraman. And Bayazid reached Erivan. The Governor of
that province, Shah Quli Sultan Ustajlu, sent a message to the
Shah’s Court with the news, and His Majesty sent Hasan Beg Yuz-

Ai^SAKXj’T-TAWABiKH.

179

bash! with gifts to the Prince. So Bayazid went to Tabriz, and
there met him there Amir Ghayb Beg Ustajlu, the Governor, and the
chief Sayyids and notables, and multitudes of the people. And they
had lit up the Qaysariyya and bazars, and musicians played. And
Bayazid came to the Qaysariyya, looking straight over his horse’s ears
and paying heed to nought. And he stayed at Jarandab, and left
after a few days.

Miscellaneous events.

The Sultan this year sent Sinan Beg, who had been captured at
Qtolu Chamani and set free by the Shah, with presents and compli-
ments to the Shah’s court.

Deaths,

Mawlana Abu’l-Hasan, son of Mawlana Ahmad Bavirdi. He
was an accomplished and high souled man, unrivalled in keenness
of intellect. He died on Sunday the twenty-sixth day of Ramazan,
Among his works are: — Isbat-i-Wajib ; Rawzatu’l-jinan, on phil-
osophy; a tract on logic; a commentary on Nasiru’d-din’s ParMz,
on succession ; text of the Shawariq on scholastic theology ; and a
note on metaphysics. The writer read a commentary on the Tajrid
under this great man.

A,H. 967.

Now when Bayazid came near to Qazwin, Ma'sum Beg Safawi
and other chief nobles, Sayyid Beg Kamuna, Sunduk Beg Qurohi-
bashi, and ‘Ali Quli Khalifa, the Keeper of the Seal, went to receive
him ; and he came with his troops like a wall of iron, with arms and
guns, and with Arab horses, into the Square at Qazwin. And the Shah
left bis army in that place, and went with the Qurchibashi, and
Husayn Beg of the archer qurchis, and two other courtiers, to meet
him, fearing nought of his power. And Bayazid dismounted, and
they shook hands, and came back together to the Court, and sat side
by side. And some days later the Shah gave a feast for Bayazid
and his nobles, and gave him well-nigh ten thousand tumtos, in
money and in kind. Then the Shah sent Aqcha Siqal 'Ali Qajar
with Sinan Beg, who had come from the Khwandgar, to Sultan
Sulayman, with a message, saying, that the Sultan should be friends
with Bayazid. At this time Bayazid had in his heart hostile
thoughts. And his plans were reported to the Shah by Qara

180

AHS ANU 't-TAW ARIKH .

Ughurlu and Mahmud the Circassian, two of his intimates. But
Bayazid found it out, and had them killed one night. An officer,
Arab Muhammad of Trebizond, approached the Shah when he and
Bayazid were walking in the garden, and said privily that he had a
word to say. And the Shah promised him an audience. But Baya-
zid, hearing of this, had that poor man killed. So the Shah was
fain to think of dealing with Bayazid. And all saw the effect on
His Majesty. And at the Thursday evening prayers the people
gathered, and cursed, and threw stones at Bayazid’s house. The
Shah was not pleased, yet could he not prevent it. So on the
Friday morning certain nobles went to his house, and brought him
and his sons to the palace. And in the evening he was stripped of
his power, and his traitorous officgrs, Lala Pasha Farrukh Beg,
Sinan, Master of the Horse, Tsa Chashmglr,(^) Khwaja Ambar,
and others, were put to death. And his eldest son, Ur Khan,
was handed over to Hasan Beg, Sultan Mahmud to Ma'sum Beg,
Sultan Muhammad to the Qurchibashi, and Sultan Abdullah to
Mir Sayyid Sharif. And he himself was kept within the palace
and qurchis were placed over him.

The war of Budaq Sultan Qajdr and the Ghazxs with the Uzbeks,
and their defeat.

This year Saru Qurghan,(^) and a company of Uzbeks, came
to Nayshapur by command of Ali Sultan. Budaq Sultan Qajar,
and Malkan Ughali Zu’l-Qadar, left the city to meet those mis-
guided ones. And they fell upon the Uzbeks and overthrew them,
and slew Saru Qurghasr-and a number of his men. And some fled
into the water channels. But the Ghazis brought them out, and
killed them.

Miscellaneous events.

Early in Ramazan the Shah fell ill. After two months’ sickness
he recovered. This year, too, Tsa Khan,(®) son of Lawand Beg,
Governor of Georgia, became converted to Islam.

AJL 968, The war of Shah Virdl Sultan Ziyad Ughali with the
Georgian Chiefs. Death of Karhln,

This year Simon, Governor of Georgia, together with Karkin,
the son of Lawand Beg, came to the neighbourhood of the fort of

AHS ANU 't-TAW ARIKH .

181

Ktich, desiring to attack Tiflis, and sent round Georgia to gather
an army. Then Shah Virdi Sultan, hearing of this, left Ganja
with the Qarabagh army to destroy the enemy, and sent a regiment
ahead to scout. And they filled up the ditch which the Georgians
had dug at Darband. Shah Virdi passed this ditch, and met the
enemy at the village of , and overthrew them. And

Karkin fled : but he and a thousand infidels were killed. Zaza
Beg and many Georgian chiefs were taken, and sent to the Shah.
Simon, and a few men, escaped towards Gori. And Shah Virdi
returned to Ganja with much booty. So Lawand and the Georgians
mourned and put on sackcloth.

M iscellaneous events .

•

Winter and summer quarters were at Qazwin. Ambassadors from
Turkey, being ^Ali Pasha, Governor of Mar’ ash, Hasan Agha Qapuchi-
bashi, and seven hundred and six men, arrived at Qazwin on Tuesday
the twenty-second day of Rajab with gifts. And the chief nobles
visited them. After some days the Shah, and the princes and nobles
and Ministers, called ‘All Pasha and Hasan Agha to a darbar. And
the ambassadors were honourably received, and addressed, and were
feasted, and returned to their quarters. And some months later
the Shah presented them with Arab horses, and dresses of honour,
and saddles chased with gold, and sent Ja‘far Beg Ustajlu back with
them to Turkey.

Deaths.

Mirza Sharaf,(^) son of Qazi-i-Jahan of Qazwin, was the Shah’s
Agent, and a man of great gifts and learning. In truth he was more
gifted even than his noble father. And his heart was inclined to
poetry. And, when his father was Wazir, he was wont to act for
him. He was a ealligraphist, and used to go too little to the Shah,
and this vexed his father. In short the great vice of Mirza Sharaf
was his association with Mawlana Fazil of Khalkhal, whose wicked-
ness was well known.

Rustam Pasha,(^) the Grand Wazir of the Sultan and his son-in-
law, died on the eleventh day of Shawwal, and ‘All Pasha became
Grand Wazir in his stead.

AHSANTT^T-TAWARiKH.

A.H. 969.

Wall Beg Yasawalbashi Ustajlti, who had gone to Turkey as
ambassador, arrived at Qazwin, on Thursday the fourteenth day of
Zi’hqa‘da, with the Khwandgar’s envoys, Khusraw Pasha, Governor
of Wan, and 'Ali Agha-i-QapuchibashJ, and two hundred men. On
Saturday the seventeenth day they met the Shah in the Sa‘adatabad
garden, and presented a letter from the Khwandgar. Before this
Farrukhzad Beg had been sent, and had made a covenant, providing
that each side should surrender refugees. Accordingly, on Thursday
the twenty-first of Zi’l-qa‘da, Sultan Bayazid and his sons were
surrendered to the Turks, who put them to death; and, on the
last day of the month, they returned to Turkey with their friends and
the bodies. ‘ Five from the Turks ’ ^ives the date.

Miscellaneous events.

This year on the seventeenth day of the second month of Rabi‘
Daud Beg, son of Lawasan, with a company of the Aznawars came
from Georgia to Qazwin. And he became a Moslem, and was
appointed to the governorship of Tiflis. Also, 'Ali Beg Uzbek
raided certain of the districts of Khurasan, and returned to Khwar-
azm, and Qazaq sent his brother, Husayn Quli, to raid the Hazara
country. And he did so, returning to Herat with sheep and goods.
But about three thousand horses died in his camp.

Deaths.

Princess Sultanam,(^) daughter of Shah Ismail and full sister
of the Shah, died on Wednesday the fourteenth day of the first
month of Jumada. She was born in A.H. 925.

A.H. 970. The seizing of ^Isa Khan,{^) son of Lawand Beg.

Now ‘Isa Khan took precedence over all the nobles, and yearly he
had six thousand tumans as a grant. But, being persuaded by
deceitful polytheists, he abjured the faith, and tried to 3cy. But
the Shah was informed by one of his servants, and on Thursday
the twenty-sixth day of the second month of Rabi‘ he seized him, and
sent him to the castle of Alamut.

This year Sultan Sulayman sent Ilias Beg with gifts and five

AHS AKU 't-TAWARIKH.

183

hundred thousand ashrafis(^) — ^which are equal to thirty thousand
tumans and forty horses caparisoned, among which was a bay horse
whose speed was as that of fire to mount on high, or of water to
rush headlong. And these envoys arrived at Qazwln on the nine-
teenth day of Safar, and presented their gifts at an audience. More-
over the Shah sent presents to the Transoxiana Uzbeks, Pir Muhammad
Khan of Balkh, ‘Abdullah Khan of Bukhara, and Sultan Sa‘id of
Samarqand.

Miscellaneous events.

Amir Taqiu’d-din was allowed to retire from being Sadr. In
Zi 1-qa‘da the Sadarat of ‘Iraq, Pars, and Khuzistan, was conferred
on Amir Muhammad Yusuf, a chief Sayyid of Astarabad ; and in
the middle of Zi’l-hijja the ^adarat of Shirwan, Khurasto, and
Adarbayjan, was given to Amir Zaynu’d-din ‘Ali, son of Amir
Asadullah Mar‘ashi. Winter and summer quarters this year were
at Qazwin.

Deaths.

Mawlana Qutbu’d-din Baghdadi, a man of great acquirements
in scientific and historical learning and theological matters. He
was a pupil of Amir Ghiyasu’d-din Mansur, and a favourite courtier
of the Shah. He died at Qazwin this year.

Mawlana Nuru’d-din, son of Mawlana Kamalu’d-din Husayn, an
unrivalled scientist, an expert in Sufiism, especially in Tajrid. He
succeeded to his father as physician to the Shah, who at last imposed
on him the duties of Wakil; but he refused to accept this work.
He died this year on Monday, the twenty-seventh day of Rajab.
Mawlana Muhtasham has a poem about him.

A.H. 971, The coming of Plr Muhammad Khan Uzheh.

This year Pir Muhammad Khan, son of Jani Beg Sultan, and
Governor of Balkh, went to Mashhad with a large army, but re-
turned, and did no harm, and sent his uncle, Ttilak Bahadur, to the
Persian Court to apologize. The Shah sent Husayn Beg Yasawal-
bashi back with Tulak to Balkh. After Pir Muhammad Khan’s
return, ‘Ali Sultan Uzbek, and his brother’s son Abu’l-Khan, came to
attack Khurasan, and camped at Turuq. They were busy fixing
their camp, when the Qizilbash Chiefs, Safi Wall Khalifa Rumlu,

184

AHS ANTJ 't-T AW ARIKH.

and Qambar Sultan Ustajlu, and the officers of Sultan Ibrahim
Mirza, left the city and attacked, and killed many Uzbeks. At
night the two armies separated, and 'Ali Sultan, in fear, left for his
own land. He attacked Isfarain, and lost many men, and returned
home with loss.

M iscellaneous events .

The Shah sent Ma'sum Beg Safawi with a large army to take
Mazandarta. Amir Murad Khan feared, and sent an agent to the
Court, offering to yield the province to whomsoever the Shah might
appoint. The Shah, thereupon, confirmed him as ruler.

This year many princes sent presents to the Shah. And among
them Sultan Mahmud Khan,(^) Governor of Bakar, sent Abu’l-
makarim with all manner of gifts, and* AbuT-Khan, too, sent tribute.
Their envoys were given dresses of honour, and sent back.

Deaths,

Khanish Khanam,(^) the Shah’s sister, died, and was buried at
Karbala in Husayn’s tomb. Shah Ni^matullah of Kirman became
sick, and — since all must die — died. He was the brother-in-law of
the Shah.

A,H, 972, The capture of Qazaq,

Now Qazaq, ungrateful for the favours shown him, began to be
rebellious, and to cherish vain thoughts of independence. And he
acted as a tyrant, and drove people from Herat and its districts, and
seized their goods. When the Shah heard of this, his anger was
kindled, and he commanded Sultan Ibrahim Mirza, Masum Beg
Safawi, Amir Khan Turkman, Wall Khalifa Shamlu, Shah Quli
Sultto Afshar, Nazar Beg Ustajlu, Sadru’d-din Khan Safawi, Urus
Beg Rumlu, Haydar Beg Turkman, Amir Aslan Afshar, and Khalil "
Beg Kurd, to set out for Herat. And first they were to call Qazaq
to order, and, if he obeyed and sent five thousand horsemen to the
Chiefs, they should go to his camp, and should honour him; but, if
he rebelled, they were to deal with him. At that time Mustafa Beg
and Musib Beg, brothers of Qazaq, tried to kill him, but they could
do nothing. So therefore an army was sent, and they joined Safi
Wall Khalifa Rumlu, the Governor of Ghuriyan, at that place.
Then Qazaq sent his brother, Husayn Quli, to fight against his

AHSANIj'T-TAWARiKH.

185

brothers and against Safi Wall Khalifa, who sent a courier to tell the
Amirs. And when Ma‘shm Beg heard this, he inarched against
Qazaq’s men, and reached them on the Monday. And Husayii Quli
^nd the men of Qazaq had as yet received no certain news of their
eoming, when they arrived. So they were thrown into confusion.
But certain men destined for destruction resisted. On the Saturday
morning, the tenth day of the second month of Rabi', the scouts came
up with the enemy, and fell upon them, and reached the centre,
but were thrown back by musketry fire. Then Wali Khalifa Shamlu
came to help, and attacked and defeated Qazaq’s men, who fled, losing
eighteen hundred. Then the Persian centre came, strengthened by
officers such as Ibrahim Mirza and Ma'sum Beg Safawi. The rem-
nants of Qazaq’s forces escaped. And some reached the city, but
others were scattered. And Qazaq’s son, JaTar Beg, forsook his
father, and fled towards Balkh to Pir Muhammad Khan, and from
thence to India.

Now when Qazaq heard of his army’s defeat, he tried in vain
to gather forces to defend the city. And in despair he repaired
to the Princes, Sultto Muhammad Mirza and Sultan Husayn Mirza,
at the fort of Ikhtiyaru’d-din. Then Ma‘sum Beg Safawi entered
the fort alone, and brought SultSn Muhammad Mirza out ; and then
at last Qazaq, being helpless, ceased from his frowardness, and on the
evening of Friday, the sixteenth day of the second month of Rabi‘,
came out of the fort. And the Amirs confined him, and sent news
thereof to the Court. So Qazaq was punished for his injustice and
tyranny to the Herat people; but in this state he died.(^) And the
Amirs stuffed his head with straw, and sent it to the Court. Then
they wintered at Herat.

The wars in the Deccan. i^)

This year Chandray, King of Bijanagar, sent messengers to the
Rulers of the Deccan, demanding certain of their lands. So these
princes sent to one another, and made a covenant. And Nizam
Shah left Ahmadnagar with an army and many elephants, and, with
‘Adil Shah and Qutb Shah, marched against the infidels. When
Chandray heard of this he went with a great host to meet them.
And the Moslems, hearing of the coming of the infidels, crossed
the Krishna and camped over against them. Now Chandray had

186

AHSANXj'T-TAWARiKH,

a hundred thousand horse, two hundred thousand foot, and five
thousand elephants. And Nizam Shah was in the centre, and 'Adil
Shah on the right, and Qutb Shah on the left. And the armies were
intermingled. And Nizam Shah’s elephant went to the help of Qutb
Shah‘s. The two together overcame Chandray’s, which fled, and
hurt Chandray with its tusk, and he fell to the ground of disgrace.
And the Moslems prevailed, and slew nearly five thousand, and took
captive Chandray. But he would not utter the confession of faith,
and therefore was slain by the order of Nizam Shah. And much
booty was taken, and Bijanagar was plundered; and many jewels
got, and none were left in the land. And the Moslems returned
to their homes.

Miscellaneous events.

This year Pahlawto Qamari(®) gave the fort of Khabushan, to
the Ghazis. Before this ‘Ali Sultan ruled there. This year the Mir
of the town left men there, and went to ‘Ali Sultan’s Court. And,
while he was away, the Pahlawan shut the gates, and killed some of
the men, and turned out the army. And he sent the keys of the fort
to the Persian Court. Then ‘Ali Sultan came to the fort, but he
returned without fighting. And the Shah gave the province, and
the keys to Pahlawan. And this year, too, the Shah did away with
transit dues(^) worth about thirty thousand tumans.

A,H. 978, The siege of Ahiward by the Amirs,

In the spring the Persian Chiefs, having left Ghayb Beg at Herat,
marched for Nisa and Abiward. When Abu’l-Khan heard of their
coming he took refuge in the fort of Abiward, and sent envoys and
asked for quarter, and swore that he would abandon his raiding and
would send yearly tribute. So the Chiefs marched away, back to the
Royal Court,

Deaths,

‘All Sultan bin Ulus Khan bin Muhammad Amin bin Yadgar
bin Timur Shekh Ughalan bin Haji Tuli bin ‘Arab Ughalan bin
Ptilad Ughalan bin Ayba Khwaja bin Taghatay bin Balaghan bin
Shaybto bin Juji bin Chingiz Khan, was a champion of scamps
and thieves, of bad character, and unattractive form. And his
tyranny, daily increasing, was noised abroad throughout Khwarazm.

a^santx’t-tawarIkh.

187

This year he left Khwarazm to plunder Astarabad, but that place
was blessed by his death at the village of . And after his death
Hajim Khftn conquered his province.

A.H. 974. The Shah sends Sultan Muhammad Mlrzd to
he Governor of Herat.

This year the Shah bestowed the governorship of Herat on
Sultan Muhammad Mirza, and sent Yakan Shah Quli as his adviser.
They left Qazwin for Khurasan. When tidings of this reached
Transoxiana, Iskandar Khan, King of Bukhara, took counsel with
his sons and nobles about raiding Khurasan. And they consented
thereto; and ‘Abdullah Khan, his eldest son, set out, and crossed
the Oxus. When the Prince heard of this his men were scattered,
and he took refuge in the fort of Turbat, which the Uzbeks sur-
rounded. But the Khurasan Chiefs prepared to fight. Shuja' Beg,
son of Mustafa Beg Warsaq, and twenty men on the day of the
battle fought their way into the fort. And the Uzbeks despaired
of taking the fort, and Khusraw Sultan was the first of them to
march away. Next day ^Abdullah Khan too sounded the retreat.
He destroyed the dam at Murghab, and marched to Bukhara. Then
the Prince set out for Herat.

Sultan Sulayman leads an army against the Frankish country.

In the spring Sultan Sulayman gathered a large army, and set
out for the land of the infidels. And he detached Partav Pasha
to take the fort of Gyula. And the Pasha took that fort, and
rejoined the camp. Then the Sultan besieged the fort of Szigetvar,.
The Turks could not take it, till they mined it and blew it up with
gunpowder. And they killed a number of the infidels, and took
much goods. But Sultan Sulayman died before the capture ;
and the army took the fort before they knew that he was dead.

Deaths,

Sultan Sulayman bin Sultan Salim bin Sultan Bayazid bin
Sultan Muhammad bin Sultan Murad bin Sultan Muhammad bin
Bayazid bin Sultan Murad bin Urkhan bin Sultan ‘Usman bin
Artughrul bin Sulayman bin Qiya Alp, who was descended from

188

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

Ughuz Khan. The Sultan fell ill before the fort of Sziget, and daily
ffrew worse. So he sent for his Grand Wazir Muhammad Pasha,
and commended the empire to him, and appointed Sultan Salim
his successor, and died. He was seventy-four years of age, and
had reigned forty-eight years. His territory was Arabian Traq,
Basra, Diyarbakr, Dawili of Georgia, and the country of the Zu’l-
Qadars, Aleppo, Syria, Egypt, Qaraman, Taka Ili, Anatolia; of
the west, Tripoli; and Jazira, Hijaz, Yaman, Aden, Khatif, and
Kaffa; and from Constantinople to the fort of Vienna. (^) And when
he died Muhammad Pasha kept it secret, and sent men to Kutahiya
to call Sultan Salim. And he sent the body secretly to Constan-
tinople, to be buried in the dome which had been made for him.
Then Sultan Salim set out with speed for Adrianople. When he
reached Constantinople, he had the^Khutba read in his name, and
departed for the camp. There most of the army hastened to meet
him. When he joined the camp, he made known Sulayman’s death;
and then he returned to Adrianople.

There were thirteen Sultans of this family — 'Usmto, Ur Khan,
Murad Ghazi, Tldarim Bayazid, Amir Sulayman, Musa Chalabi,
Muhammad, Murad, Muhammad, Bayazid, Salim, Sulayman, and
Salim. The family has reigned up to the present, which is now
A.H. 980, two hundred and ninety-one years.

‘Abdullah Khto bin Qara Khan Ustajlu, brother-in-law of the
Shah, died this year in Shirwan,

A.H, 97 o.

This year Simon Beg, son of Lawasan, gathered together horse
and foot, and made for Tiflis. When this was noised abroad, D^ud
Beg, son of Lawasan, Governor of the fort on behalf of the Shah,
left the city to meet and fight him.(^) When these two armies ap-
proached Ibrahim Khalifa Qaramani in his folly, even though all
the Aznawars warned him, prepared to fight Simon and was smitten
by the Aznawars and slain, and most of his men left him. And
he fled towards Tiflis. Again he gathered many men, and, with
Husayn Beg Qaramani, went to the field of battle. But after a
fight he was overthrown, and took refuge in the fort of Tiflis, which
Simon surrounded, Howbeit Simon, a few days later, set out for
his own land.

AHSAisri; 't-tawarIkh.

189

Miscellaneous events.

This year an ambassador, whose name was Muhammad, came
from Sultan Salim to Qazwin, with a letter offering to confirm their
friendship. And he was honoured and sent back. And Sultan
Salim sent Iskandar Pasha with an army to take the islands, the
Chiefs of which had raided Basra. They sent messengers to him,
confessing their faults, and promising a yearly tribute of fifteen
thousand florins. So Iskandar returned to Baghdad.

Conquest of Gilan by the Chiefs a'^id Ohdzls.

This year Khan Ahmad, (^) Governor of Gilto, was misled, and
rebelled, and hearkened not to commands and to warnings, though
all his forefathers had been vasaals of the Empire. Now Hasan Beg
had been sent to conciliate him, but he reported how he had seen his
enmity. Then the Shah’s anger was kindled, and he sent Amira
Sasan to Kaskar with an army, for Khan Ahmad had driven him
out of the country. And after a hard fight, he overcame Sa^id, who
was Ahmad’s general, and killed him and many of his officers. The
Shah then sent Sadru’d-din Khan Safawl to Resht. And Ahmad’s
Governor at that place, Kiya Rustam, was captured with many of his
horsemen, and sent to the Court. At that time the Shah had
brought up his sister’s son, Jamshid Khan,(^) and honoured him with
retainers and insignia. Him the Shah sent at this time to the
government of Gilan Biya Pas, and Khan Ahmad handed over the
whole country of Biya Pas as far as Kuchisfan to him. Then
the Shah sent Yul Quli Beg Zu’l-Qadar to take Kuchisfan from him,
and give it to Jamshid Khan. But Khan Ahmad sent Amir Shah
Mansur with an army and Gilan men to withstand him. And Shah
Mansur fell upon Yul Quli Beg of a sudden, and killed him after
much fighting. When the Shah heard this, his anger was kindled, and
he commanded a large army of foot soldiers to repair to Court from
Adarbayjan and Traq, and to set out for Gilan with the Chiefs, and
take it. Then Khan Ahmad was afraid, and repented, and sent
messengers to Court. But the Shah put no trust in them, and
dismissed them unsuccessful, and commanded the Ghazis to advance
on Gilto from two directions. Sultan Mustafa Mirza ; Amir Khan
Turkman; Quch Khalifa Muhrdar ; Nazar Beg Ustajlfi ; Haydar Beg
Turkman, Governor of Sawa; Ahmad Khalifa Wafadar Shamlu;

190

ahsanxj't-tawaeikh.

Hamza Beg Talish; and, of the Chiefs of Adarbayjan, Ibrahim Beg
Ziyad Ughali; Khalif ad- Ansar, Governor of Qarajadagh; Ibrahim
Khalifa Alpawat ; Zaynal Beg, son of Ibrahim Khan Zu’l-Qadar ;
Amira Sasan, Governor of Kaskar; Ahmad Sultan, of Biya Pas;
Kamran Mirza, Governor of Kiitam; these, with the Adarbayjan
infantry, were to go by way of Kuchisfan to Lahijan. Before the
armies gathered, Amir Khan, Nazar Beg, and Hamza Beg Talish, left
Qazwin with their men, and arrived within four leagues of the city.
They heard that Khan Ahmad was at Day lam an with many men.
So they hastened against him. In fear Khan Ahmad threw himself
into Lahijan, and the Ghazis captured his camp, and arrived at
Kharkam and Daylaman. Ma‘sum Beg Safawi, too, set out with
men for Lahijan. Then Khan Ahipad sent Jahangir, General of
Lahijan, and Shah Mansur, Genei’al of Daylaman and Lashtanashah,
with ten thousand horse and foot to meet them. And they set up a
stockade, and got themselves ready to fight. But Ma'sum Beg fell
upon it, and the enemy feared and fled without fighting to Lahijan;
the Ghazis killed one hundred and fifty and captured three hundred
and fifty, and settled in Lahijan, And the provinces of Gilan, Kuk,
Lashtanashah, and Kisam, were taken. Khan Ahmad fled to the
mountains of Ashkur. Then Sadru’d-din Khan and Ziya Ahmad
Sultan, and Bayandur Khan Talish, and Amira Sasan, and Hamza
Beg Talish, and Mirza Kamran, followed after him. They killed
Amira Bahadur and some other Chiefs, and returned to Ma^sum
Beg’s camp. Nazar Beg Ustajlti, Amir Ghayb Beg Ustajlu, Quch
Khalifa Keeper of the Seal, Pira Muhammad Khto Ustajlu, Amir
Aslan Beg Afshar, and Haydar Beg Turkmto, set out through the
jungles. And on the way they caught Khan Ahmad’s son-in-law,
Malik Uways Rustamdari, and handed him over to Malik Sultan
Abu Sa‘id, his brother, and kept all his goods for the Royal use, and
then they camped at Tanakabun. And Khan Ahmad was three
months in the mountains of Gilan. Then the Shah sent Allah Quli
Beg Aychak Ughali, Shah Quli Beg Rumlu, and Mirza 'Ali Beg
Qajar, with eight hundred qurchis, by the Ashkur road to Gilan.
The sun was then in the third stage of Capricorn, and the cold was
great. And Husam Beg, son of Bayram Beg Qaramani, with eighteen
men, surprised Khto Ahmad in the early morning. He hid in a
stable, but he was caught and brought to Allah Quli Sultan. On

AHS ANir*T-*TAWAItiKH .

191

Tuesday the sixth day of Eajab the Chiefs brought him with his
goods to the Court, and after some months the Shah sent him to the
fort of Qahqaha, and gave the governorship of Gilan to Allah Quli
Sultto Ustajlu, Iskandar Beg Afshar, Hamza Beg Talish, Zaynal Beg
Zu’l-Qadar, and Sharaf Khto Kurd.

Mawltoa 'Abdu’r-razzaq Sadr, who was imprisoned in Qazwm,
was sent to the castle of Kharsak.(®)

Khan Ahmad reigned thirty- two years. Eleven persons of this
family were rulers, namely, Sayyid ‘All Kiya ; Kar Kiya Riza Kiya ;
Kar Kiya Mir Sayyid; Kar Kiya Nasir Kiya; Kar Kiya Sultan
Muhammad; Kar Kiya Mirza 'All; Kar Kiya Sultan Hasan; Kar
Kiya Sultan Ahmad ; Kar Kiya Sayyid ‘Ali ; Kar Kiya Sultan Hasan ;
Kar Kiya Khan Ahmad. Thqy reigned for two hundred and five
years.

Miscellaneous eve^its.

This year the Shah sent Shah Quli Sultan Ustajlu, with gifts
and a letter seventy cubits long, to congratulate the Sultan and to
confirm peace. They met the Sultjan at Adrianople, and offered
their gifts. And after some months they returned to the Persian
Court.

AM. 976. The Shah sends an army to Georgia. Simon Beg{^)

is taken.

Now Simon Beg left the path of rectitude, and did much evil at
Tiflis. Shamkhal Beg the Circassian, Ibrahim Beg Alpawat, and ‘Ali
Quli Beg Qajar, were commanded to go with Daud Beg to Georgia,
and take Simon Beg, and send him to the Court. So they set out.
And Simon Beg took refuge on a high mountain, where he was
besieged. Then Simon, from excess of pride, attacked the army, and
slew a Ghazi. But a certain brave man threw him from his horse,
and captured him. And the Gabrs fled; some were killed, and
others were taken captive. Then the Chiefs, having cleared the land
of its disturbers, returned, and sent Simon Beg to the Court.

Miscellaneous events.

This year Ma'sum Beg Safawi,(^) Wakil of the Shah, set out
to make pilgrimage to the Holy Places ; and he was fallen on by
Turks, and killed, with forty-eight of his men. They reported

192

AHS A]sru 't-T A W A RIKH .

that this was done by Arab robbers. Therefore Sultan Salim sent
'All AghasI and the Cliaushbashi to the Persian Court to apologize.

This year, too, Mawlana Amir Abu’l-Path, a Sayyid, died of
a sudden at Ardabil. He was a pupil of Mawltoa Tsamu’d-din,
and he studied in Transoxiana, and settled at Ardabil. Among
his works are : Commentaries on the Kubra ; on the Morals of
Discussion ; on the Tahzib on Logic ; on the Treasury of Knowledge ;
on the Elements of Jurisprudence ; on a Discussion of the Absolute
Unknown ; on the Matali' ; also, a Tract on the Elements of Juris-
prudence; and Notes on the eleventh chapter of the Persian Com-
mentary on the Quranic Commands.

A.H. 977. The Shah sends an army to the hot tract of Jirun.i})

This year the Shah heard that the Governors of «Tirun were
doing much evil, and he commanded to change them. And he sent
the Governor of Kirman, Ya'qub Beg Afshar, with an army. They
took refuge in the castles of Bunyad-i-buzurg and Sbamul which,
by reason of the heat of the place, had never yet been conquered
by any King. But the Ghazis besieged the place, and the enemy
yielded, and the forts were taken.

Miscellaneous events.

This year the King of Venice sent an army to plunder the
Turkish dominions. The Turkish Governor of Herzegovina, Qasim
Beg, and Farhad Beg, hastened to meet them, and overthrew
and pursued them, and took five qadarghas, twenty galleons, and
two barjas. At this time the Frankish leaders, with a certain
accursed infidel named Chashna and three thousand men, attacked
and were defeated by the Moslems.

This year Uzbek Sultan bin Rustam Sultan bin Jtol Beg
Sultan came to attack Khurasan, and camped at Jam. And Zaynal
Beg the Governor, son of Ibrahim Khan Zu’I-Qadar, sent a company
of warriors to fight them. But ZaynaFs Wakll, Hamza Beg Sanjar
Ughall, was killed, and the Uzbeks returned home with plunder.
Then Zaynal Beg sent round about Khurasan for help. So Amir
Husayn and Haji Sultan Kotwal came with about nineteen hundred
horse. Thus strengthened Zaynal Beg pursued the Uzbeks, and,
notwithstanding the counsel of Amir Husayn and HajI Kotwal,

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

193

they came up with the Uzbeks at Pul-i-Khatun. And Uzbek Sultan
lay in ambush with seven thousand warriors, and sent a few to meet
the Persians. Then the Ghazis attacked those men. And they
feigned flight, and Uzbek Sultan came out, and the Persians were
caught between the two forces, and overthrown. Zaynal Beg, and
Amir Husayn, and a thousand brave men, were killed. But HajI
Kotwal escaped. Uzbek Sultan cut off the heads of the slain, and
set out for Andikhtid and Shiburghan.

A,H. 978. Sultan Salim sejids an army to the Island of Gyprus.i^)

Now the infidels of Cyprus had long been tribute payers. But
they rebelled, and they robbed and molested men. So Sultan Salim
took counsel with his Ministers, and sent Partav Pasha his second
Wazir, Ahmad Pasha the third Wazir, Husayn Pasha Chief of
Rumelia, Mustafa Pasha Lala, ‘Ali Pasha Governor of Mar’ash,
Qasim Pasha Ruler of Anatolia, and Baliram Pasha Governor of
Siwas, with an army, to capture the Cyprus forts. They set out
with ships, and took about seventy small forts, and camped, with
siege weapons, over against the castle of Nicosia. And the Frankish
generals fired on them; but they surrounded the castle and des-
troyed its walls with gun-fire. And the Frankish warriors bore
themselves bravely, and the castle was defended for about two
years. But in the end an assault was made, and the enemy fled.
Their families and wives were captured, and much booty taken.
Then a large force attacked the castle of Famagusta, the com-
mandant of which, one Yatan,(^) entrusting the gates to careful men,
fired upon them, and kept them off. The Turks surrounded the
castle. And the Ruler of Venice sent eighteen ships with powder
and provisions, but Qillj ‘All captured them, and killed the Franks in
them, and brought down the castle walls with heavy mortars.
Howbeit the infidels mined beneath the Anatolian camp, and blew up
many Turks. After a year the defenders’ powder came to an end,
and they knew they could not further withstand the Turks, and
they consented to surrender, and came to the Sultto’s Court. Then
they were permitted to remove their goods by ship, and to return to
Venice. But a Turkish prisoner escaped, and he reported that
the Venetians had killed three hundred Moslems. Mustafa Pasha,
angered by this, flayed Yatan and killed the rest of the infidels.

194

AHS ANU 'T-T AW ARiKH ,

After this Sultan Salim sent Partar Pasha to conquer Corfu. The
Turks plundered Corfu, Akiya(?), Kafalia (Cephalonia ?), and Kanif
(?) and took four qadarghas, and three bar j as from the Franks,
and returned to Constantinople.

Miscellaneous events.

This year 'Askarl Khan Tatar, (^) together with the Pasha of
Kaffa, at the command of the Sultto, came with an army and ten
thousand navvies to Qurbanbazi, and began to dig a canal to join
the Volga and the Don. Having finished this, they set out in ships
for Astrakhan to take it. When news of this reached the Governor of
the city on behalf of Ivan the Terrible, King of Russia, he was
dismayed and sent presents to the Khm. As the Khan did not
desire to take Astrakhan, he sent a report to the Sulfcan, saying
that if the Volga were joined to the Don, and if their waters
joined the Black Sea, floods might threaten the whole of Constan-
tinople. Therefore it was ordered that they should stop digging
the canal; and the Khan and Pasha returned to their own land.

A.H. 979.

This year Sultan Salim sent Sinan Pasha, with the army of
Egypt and Janissaries and Chiefs, to capture Yaman. For Mutahhar
Lang(^) had conquered this country after Sultan Sulayman’s death.
The Pashas, after much fighting, took the castle of Kawkaban and
about forty small forts. This year, too, Dawlat Giray Khan Tatar,
Governor of Kafia, set out for Russia, under the Sultan’s orders.
The Governor, Ulugh Beg,(^) sent Ivan Bulbula, his chief general,
to meet him. The Russians seized the bank of the river Qulumula,(®)
and prevented the Tatars from crossing. For nineteen days the
battle continued. And on the twentieth Dawlat Giray Khan
attacked, and put the enemy to flight. When Ulugh Beg heard
of this, he left his camp and court, and fled in fear. And the Tatar
army attacked Moscow, and captured all the folk of that city, old
and young, men and women, and all the goods and jewels of the
infidels, and set fire to the city, which was of wooden houses. Ivan
Bamki and two hundred thousand infidels were burnt. Dawlat
Giray Khan, after this signal victory, returned with vast booty
and ninety thousand prisoners, back to his own land.

AHSAl^ru'T-TAWARiKH.

195

The fighting between the Ustajlu and Ohanhlu{^) qurchls
and the men of Gildn,

Now the Shah had made Allah Quli Sultan Ustajlu Governor
of Gilta. And he left a company at Lahijan, and himself went
to hivS summer resort. Then the Gilan army rebelled, and made
a certain Sayyid Husayn their Governor, and he made Dubbaj his
general. And, being filled with pride in his army and power, he
did evil, and set on foot sedition, and fell upon the Sufis at Lahijan
castle, and overcame them, and slew them all, men and women
and children. Then he attacked Bektash Beg, son of Allah Quli
Beg, who fled without fighting, and was killed by the Gilanis. And
Amira Sasan, with a large force, left Kaskar(®) to attack the Gilanis ;
but, after a hard fight, he was overthrown, and most of his men
were killed, and he himself escaped with difficulty.

Then the Shah took counsel with his courtiers, and it was
decreed that the Chiefs should go against the Gilanis. Quch Khalifa,
Keeper of the Seal, and Amir Ghayb Beg, were sent with others,
accompanied by Ustajlu and Ghariblu qurchis. And the qurchls
were talking of brave deeds ; therefore one hundred and thirty men
set out for Gilan without the leave of their Chiefs ; and they camped
at Kisam.(®) And when the Gilanis knew how few they were,
they set out to attack them. But in the battle the qurchis prevailed
and slew about a thousand; and the enemy, who numbered more
than twenty thousand, fled. And the qurchis with much booty,
camped at LSihijto, and sent the heads of the slain to the Court.

A.jy. 980, Q)

This year the Sultan sent Partav Pasha and 'Ali Pasha (®) to
take the island of Corfu with three hundred ships. They plundered
that country, and set out for Crete. That land also they spoiled,
and cast anchor at the island of Injil.(^) And the Governor of
Venice and Phillip the King of Spain, who was the greatest of
all the infidel kings for size of army and extent of empire, sent one
hundred and eighty qadarghas, six mawnas, and a thousand guns, so
great that they took a cannon ball equal to a great circle. And
skilful gunners were on the ships. Then Qara Khwaja(^) was sent to
reconnoitre. He returned and counselled the Turks to avoid battle.
But they would not hearken. The first attack was made by ‘Ali

196

AHS ANTJ 't-TAW AEIKH .

Pasha. But it was met by heavy fire, and the Turkish ships were
damaged. Then some Pranks, who were prisoners in 'All Pasha’s
ship, set themselves free, and cut off ‘AH Pasha’s head, and hung
it up by a noose. Thereupon the Turks were overcome. And the
Pranks smashed Partav Pasha’s ship, and he fell into the water, but was
bravely dragged out, and brought by Rais Khaki, by means of a
grappling-iron, into his own ship. And Qilij ‘Ali(^) took three
Frankish ships and escaped from the battle. Then the infidels pur-
sued the Turks, and took a hundred and seventy of their ships, and
slew Qara Khw§.ja, Rais Qasim, Rais Salih, and Rais Qaraman with
many men. And Partav Pasha came to Constantinople in confusion
and ruin.

The War of 'Askari Khan viiih Ivan the Terrible,

This year ‘Askari Khan, Governor of the Crimea, with his son
Dawlat Giray Khan, moved against the Russians. And Ivan the
Terrible, who is known as Ulugh Beg, gathered together his army and
crossed the river Oka and camped at Sakka(®) which is on the border
of Sitna. And when the Khans arrived they attacked on two sides.
But Dawlat Giray was captured, and ‘Askari fled; and the enemy
pursued, and killed a great number.

Quarrels among the Uzbeks.

This year Mirza ‘Ali Beg Kaiman rebelled from Tanam Khan, and
went to ‘Abdullah Khan at Bukhara, and reported that to take Balkh
would be an easy thing. So the Khan crossed the Oxus, and pitch-
ed his tent near Balkh. And Tanam shut the gates, and was
besieged. And they fought for nearly eight months, till at last
Tanam Khan came out of the castle of Hindawan, having made
terms, and saw the Khan, who gave Balkh to Mirza ‘All Beg Naiman,
and set out for Andikhud and Shiburghan. The Governor, Uzbek
Sultan, did not fight, but yielded to the Khan, who gave the town
to one of his officers, and set out for Bukhara.

Miscellaneous events.

This year a light was seen near the North Pole for nine months.
Once before in the time of Anastasius, King of the Eastern Empire,
contemporary with Qubad, father of Nawshirwto, such a sign

AHS ANTJ 't -TA W AEIKH .

197

appeared at the North Pole, and lasted seven months, and then
fell as dust. Thereafter plague arose in the cities of the Eastern
Empire. This year, too, in the city of Qain a thing like wheat was
rained down, and men made bread of it.

Deaths.

Mawltoa Muslihu’d-din Lari died, aged nearly ninety years.
He was a pupil of Amir Ghiyasu’d-din Mansur of Shiraz ; thereafter
he went to India, and was Humaytin’s chief Minister. After Huma-
yan’s death he set out for the Holy Places but was wrecked, and
nearly four hundred of his books were lost; and he himself hardly
escaped to Constantinople, where he was honourably treated by
Sultto Salim, and sent to Arnid. Among his works are : — Notes
explanatory of the commentary on the Mawaqif ; Notes on the old
Notes of Mawltoa Jalalu’d-dln Dawwani; Notes on Jami; Notes on
ShMa'i Jurisprudence ; Commentary on the Shamail of Tirmizi; Com-
mentary on the Traditions ; Commentary on the Suratu’l-Qadr ; His-
tory of the family of Usman, now Sultan of Turkey ; Tract on Chess ;
Tract on Veterinary Science.

A.H. 981. The killing of the Tabriz rabble.

Now the Shah had appointed Allah Quli Beg Ustajlu to the
governorship of Tabriz. And the men of the Darjuya gate caught
one of his ojSScers, and injured him much. And he was fain to beg
for the man’s release, because of the smallness of his force. But
some days after he killed the guilty man, whose relatives buried him
in the tombs of Kachal, And the Governor was minded to dig up
his grave, but a company of roughs prevented it, and he was forced
to fly. Then the rabble killed and wounded some of his servants,
and began plundering and rape and sodomy. And all men were
alarmed beyond measure. In every street one of the rabble ruled,
Pahlawan Yari at the Sanjar quarter; Nashmi at the Darjuya gate;
Sharaf, son of Mustafa, at the Cypress gate ; the Shawl maker’s son
at Mihad Mahan ; Agha Muhammad at the Nobar gate ; Pahlawan
Twaz in the Square ; Aslan at the A'ala gate ; Mirza Malikani
with Kukja in the camel drivers’ quarter; and ‘Alay Hasan Jan at
Shish Gllan. For about two years there was fighting and the Shah
hearkened not to his nobles and Ministers, thinking that he might

198

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

not slay his subjects, and expecting that they would cease from
rioting. Howbeit when the rabble persisted, the Shah sent the
prudent and wise Yusuf Beg UstajlQ. And Yusuf Beg made the
rabble swear to cease from opposing ; and he took security from the
headmen of the town. Then Pahlawan Yari again opposed the
Governor, and killed two of his men ; and again they set to rioting.
So Yusuf sent to the Shah, saying, that the rioters were but four
hundred men ; that the chief men of the town also complained ; and
that the learned decreed that the men should be killed. So Suhrab
Beg, son of Khalifa-i- Ansar, was sent with troops to help Yusuf Beg,
and to act as he might order. And when they arrived at the Sahiba-
bad square, Yusuf Beg met them. Then the rioters hid themselves.
And Yusuf Beg took their sureties, yho searched for and arrested
most of the men, and put them to death, hanging the leaders as an
example, Kukja, Nashmi, Sharaf, Shanji the fuller, Hasan the boot
maker, Haji Diraz, Shah 'All Chartak, Mirza-i-Baba Quli, and
Husayn the green grocer; one hundred and fifty men besides these
were killed. Yarl, Pahlawan Tvaz, and ^Ali Hasan Jan, were impri-
soned in Suhrab’s house. And Suhrab protected them, because they
excited his avarice. But Yusuf Beg made him hand them over, and
they were put to death, and their heads were gibbeted in the Square.
And Pahlawan Tvaz’s head was fastened by a hook, which he had
had for three years.

Akhar takes Qujarat.i^)

Now Akbar was minded to go to Gujarat, and punish the
officers of that province. Muhammad Ibrahim, grandson of Sultan
Husayn Mirza Bayqara, was met on the way, and he fled after much
fighting. And the Emperor arrived at Ahmadabad the governorship
of which he gave to Mirza ‘Aziz Kuka, and then he returned to Agra.
And while he was away Muhammad Husayn Mirza, Governor of
Gujarat, came to Ahmadabad with an army and elephants to fight.
And Akbar, hearing of this, hastened back, and reached Ahmadabad
again in nine days. And at that time Mirza ‘Aziz Kuka was fighting
with Muhammad Husayn Mirza. And the Emperor defeated and
captured him, and took much money and jewels, and having given the
country to Mirza ‘Aziz Kuka he returned to Agra, and sent procla-
mations of his victory throughout Hindustan.

199

AHS ANTJ’t-TAW ARiKH .

Miscellaneous events.

There was plague in Ardabil this year, and about thirty
thousand persons died in the city and suburbs. The Shah gave the
post of Chief Finance Minister to Sayyid Hasan of Farah and Khwaja
Jamalu’d-din ‘All of Tabriz, and the auditorship of the Minister’s
office to Mirza Shukrullah Isfahan!, fixing five hundred Tabriz
tumans as remuneration for both these offices.

Deaths.

Mawlana ‘Abdullah Yazdi died in ‘Arabistan. He was a pupil
of Mawlawi Khwaja Jamalu’d-din Mahmud. Among his works are
Notes on the old Notes of Mawlana Jalalu’d-din Muhammad Daw-
wani ; Commentary on the Tahzib on Logic.

A.H. 982.

The Shah fell sick of a burning fever. And the hearts of men

were dismayed. And there were disputes among the Chiefs. But

Mawlana Ghiyasu’d-din cured the Shah with a soothing medicine.

This year, too, the King of the Franks, Don Sebastian, (^) who is

known as the Portugal, sent envoys with gifts to the Court. But as

he had before done evil, ruining mosques and burning Qurans,

they were not favourably received, and certain of the Chiefs were

appointed to correct those unfortunate ones.

Deaths.

Sultan Salim (*^) bin Sultan Sulayman bin Sultan Salim bin
Sultan Bayazid bin Sultan Muhammad bin Sultan Murad bin Sultan
Muhammad bin Tldarim Bayazid bin Sultto Murad bin Urkhan bin
Sultan Usman bin Artughral bin Sulaymto bin Qlya Alp bin Qizil
Buqa bin Bayandur bin Ujulja‘ Agha bin Tughiyan bin Qayd Sun
bin No Yaqur bin Baqi Aqaib bin Sunjuq Agha bin Tahtamur
bin Yusati bin Kumak ‘All bin Ughuz bin Qara Khan, died this year
on the sixth day of Ramazan at Constantinople. The Grand Wazir
Muhammad concealed his death from the nobles and Ministers,
and brought Sultan Murad secretly to the city and set him on
the throne, and killed aU his brethren. Fourteen men of this race
were Sultans. Sultan ‘Usman : he began to reign 689 a.h. and
he died 727 a.h.; the lands that he conquered were Qara Hisar,

200

AHSANU’T-TAWABiKH .

Adrank (Edrenos?), the city of Brusa. Urkhan: he reigned from
727 A.H., and he died 759 a.h. ; the lands which he conquered were
Baziboli(?), Modreni, Turkarba(?), Koinik(?), Mady(?), Taraqli,
Olubad, BalikesrI, Gallipoli. Sultan Murad: he began to reign
759 A.H., and he died 791 a.h. ; and he conquered the city of
Angora, Sultan Kuyi, Demitoka, Ipsala, the city of Adrianople,
the land of Kashan, Kumuljina, Bigha, the land of Hamid, Kar-
miyto, Serres, Qaraferia, the land of Salonica(?). Tldarim Bayazid:
he began to reign 791 a.h., and he died 805 a.h.; he conquered
Qaratowa, where are the mines of silver, Alashahr, Saru Khan Ili,
Aydin Ili, Nicopolis, Sali Sili (Silistria ?), the city of Siwas, the
town of Malatiya, half of the land of Qaraman, Taraqli Dara(?).
Amir Sulayman : he began to reign 805 a.h., and he was slain in
812 A.H. Musa Chalabi : he reigned with Sultan Muhammad for three
years. Sultan Muhammad: he reigned for thirteen years, and he
died in 825 a.h. Sultan Murad : he began to reign in 825 a.h., and
he died 855 a.h. ; the lands which he took were Mantasha Ili,
Saru Khan Ili, Hamid Ili, Aydin Ili, Siliwri(?), the fort of Bruj(?),
Szegedin(?), N’ovaberda(?), Quch HisHr. Sultan Muhammad: he
began to reign 855 a.h., and he died 886 a.h. ; the lands which
he conquered were the city of Istambul, the country of Sanna(?),
Albania, the province of Qaraman, being seven cities, the country
of Isfandiyar, Kastamuni, Sinope, the Island of Ashaq(?), the
country of Herzgovina, the town of Kaffa, Morea, Negrepont,
the Isle of Mitylene, Qara Hisar, Upper Chanak, Lower Chanak,
the town of Alaniya, the tract of Tyrol(?), Quytinlu Fort, the country
of Ainos, the country of Zwornik, the country of Anajira(?), of
Upper Ghaznaw(?), Mankub — all the countries are written in full
in former volumes. Sultan Bayazid: he began to reign 886 a.h.,
and he died in 918 a.h. ; he conquered Akkerman, the Isle of
Lepanto, Korone and Methone, the stronghold of Kilia. Sultan
Salim: he began to reign 918 a.h., and he died 926 a.h.; the
countries that he conquered were Upper and Lower Syria, being
seventeen cities; Egypt, being twenty-seven cities; Diyarbakr,
eight cities; Mar 'ash, and some of Adarbayjan, as far as Akhlat;
and, in the Holy Places, the Khutba was read in his name. Sultan
Sulayman : he began to reign 926 a.h., and he died 974 a.h. ; the
countries that he conquered were Arabian 'Iraq, Basra, Shahrizur,

AHS ANXI’t-TAWARIKH .

201

Qatif, the country of A1 Hasa, and some of Yaman; the country
of Suakin; of Georgia, Dawlli; of Adarbayjan, the Forts of Wan,
and Akhlat, with their dependencies ; of Kurdistan, Bitlis ; of the
country of the Franks, Belgrade, Rhodes, and Buda, which was
the capital of the King of Hungary, the island of Chios; of the
Western Land, the town of Tripoli, the town of Algiers(?) ; and some
of the Arabian islands. Sultan Salim: he began to reign 974 a.h.,
and he died 982 a h., the countries that he conquered were the Island
of Cyprus, and the fort of Aqilband(?). And it happened that both the
Salims reigned eight years and the Murads thirty, and all the Bayazids,
including the third who never was Sultto, were taken prisoner.

This year, too, Lawand bin Karkin,(^) Governor of Georgia, who
had been long a heretic, died. Kaykhusraw bin Karkin bin Lawand
succeeded him, and Al Iskandar fled to Qurq, which Kaykhusraw
and his nobles attacked. Kaykhusraw was killed in the battle which
ensued, and Al Iskandar took his father’s place, and sent envoys to the
Shah, who sent Ma^sum Beg Safawi('‘) as Governor to Georgia.

Mirza Qasim Gunabadi also died this year. He was a well-
known man, who wrote (like FirdawsI) a complaint, because he
received no reward for his ^Shahnama’.

A.H, 983,

In the beginning of the year ‘Abdullah Uzbek collected the
armies of Balkh, Bukhara, and Hisar Shadiman, and marched against
Gharjistan and camped on the banks of the Kuhak river,(^) Baba
Sultan, son of Buraq Khan, with his brothers and a large company
of Ilajis advanced against him, and crossed the river by a bridge he
built, whereupon ‘ Abdullah fled and disappeared. But Baba Sultan,
because of the desertion of his brother Darwish Khan, returned to
his own country, and seizing, with the approval of his Ministers, Dar-
wish Khan, took possession of Tashkand.

Miscellaneous events,

Hajim Khan, Governor of Khwarazm, a man of illustrious
family, sent his son(^) Muhammad Quli Sultan to Court. He was
met by the nobles, and brought before the Shah, and honoured with
gifts.

202

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

AM, 984. Death of the 8hah.{^)

Now the Shah fell sick, and, in spite of all that the physicians
could do, his sickness increased day by day, and he died on the
night of Tuesday, the fifteenth day of Safar. And Abu Nasr had
been treacherous in his treatment ; therefore he was put to death.

The Shah’s age was sixty-four years, one month, and twenty-
five days, and he had reigned for fifty-three years, six months, and
twenty-six days, and as deputy of Shah Isma'il in Khurasan for eight
years. The only Moslem King who had reigned so long was the
Fatimid Mustansir Billah(^) ; and in Persia, since Bahram Gur till
the present year, 985 from the Plight, that is, for nearly twelve hun-
dred years, no King had reigned so long.

Then sorrow and fear followed the Shah’s death. Shamkhal
Sultan Charkas and others came int(^ the Square of the Stables, and
the Chiefs and Ministers fortified their houses, till the dawn came.
Then Sultan Haydar,{^) with his mother’s approval, claimed the
throne, trusting in the Ustajlus and Georgians, and armed the
qurchis who were on his side with arms from the arsenal. And he
brought forward a false paper, which he had written, wherein it was said
that the Shah had made him his heir. And certain short-sighted
persons followed him. But the Rumlu, Afshar, Qajar, Bayat, and
Warsaq, qurchis, who were on guard, strengthened the Palace gates,
and sent to the Chiefs and warned them of the quarrel. And in the
meantime Haydar Sultan Turkman, Amir Aslan Beg Afshar, Mah-
mud Beg Afshar, Sulayman Beg, the son of Suhrab Khalifa Turkman,
Dalw Budaq Rumlu, and Khan Wall Beg Baharlu, came with a strong
force and the other Chiefs to Khulafa. Then it was heard that the
Ustajlu Chiefs were minded to bring Haydar Mirza out, and set him
on the throne. So they sent messages to the followers of Haydar
Mirza and Husayn, setting forth how the Lord God had favoured
Isma'il Mirza, and how great his victories had been, and how the
Qizilbash soldiery would be like sheep without a shepherd if he were
not made king, so that foes would get the occasion, for which they
had yearned, to fall upon Iran. But it was in vain ; and the
messengers returned. So forces were arrayed and marched with
the Chiefs to the Square of the Stables, and towards the Palace. And
the other side gathered its forces. Then certain foolish men, like
Hamza Beg Talish, ‘Ali Khan Georgian, and Zal went to that evil

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

203

man, and held consultation. Now the Ghazis kept Haydar Mirza
in the Palace, and barred the way out for him. At this news Husayn
was disturbed, but he put on a brave face. They were minded to
bring Sultan Ha5^dar Mirza out by force, and set him on the throne.
So Sultan Mustafa Mirza and Husayn Beg opposed the qtirchis, and
made for the Palace. At this time Sultan Ibrahim Mirza came to
Husayn Beg, saying that he should cease from fighting, and live in
his own house ; for the fruit of enmity was repentance ; he himself had
nought to do with the succession. But in his heart he longed for the
throne. And the others hearkened not to him, but they set out for
the gate of Panja-i-*Ali, where the soldiers withstood them. In fear
they turned towards the Darb-i-ala, but the guards of that gate
joined the enemy and opened the gates. Then Haydar’s men set out
for the gate, which is called Qara Daghiyan. And Husayn Yuzbashi
ordered it to be broken. But the qtirchis caught them with volleys.
Then they broke about a span of the gate ; and the qtirchis support-
ed it with large columns, and fired through the g^'P* truth, the
enemy fought bravely. Then Khulafa sent a body of Sufis over the
wall of the Square to the Haram garden, to aid the qtirchis, and
drive back the enemy. And Zu’l-Qadar and other guards came to
help. The enemy, in shame, hastened to another gate, which also
was shut in their faces. Then they threw themselves into the court
house, and seventeen of them, with desperate daring, got into the
Haram garden, and killed a Shamlti qtirchi. Then Khulafa, Sham-
khal Sultan, and the Ghazis and Chiefs in the Square of the Stables,
threw themselves into the Haram garden, and Sulfcan Haydar took
refuge among the women, where he was caught by the Ghazis, and
his head was cut off, and shown to the enemy.

When the sun set Husayn Beg Yuzbashi took Sultan Mustafa
and fled with him to Luristan; but after this he left him and his
supporters, and fled alone in a beggar’s cloak till he fell into the

hands of Khwaja Farrukh in the way.

Now after the death of Sultan Haydar, Khulafa and the Ghazis
were afraid, and they left the Haram garden with their retainers.
And Khulafa’s plan was to go to the Mill Stones, C) but the qurchis
said they should wait, and see how it was with the Ustajlus. And a
horseman came, and reported that there were none in the land. So
Khulafa and Suhan Mahmud went to their own houses. In the

204 :

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

morning Hamza Beg Talisli and Zal and his brother Parrukh were
caught and killed. 'All Khan the Georgian and some other unfortun-
ates confessed their faults, and the remnant were taken, or killed, or
fled to the desert ; and their goods were confiscated.

Then Haydar Sultto Turkman and the Ghazis and officers set out
for the castle of Qahqaha. (®) Never hath a stranger thing been heard ;
for Isma'il was imprisoned in the castle with but few men, and the
whole army was for Haydar, who also had the treasury and the arsenal.

Now when the news of Shah Tahmasp’s death reached Piri Beg
at Bay, he set out for Qazwin. And in the way he was met by those
who fled, who told him of Sultto Haydar’s death. And he went
back, and threw himself with a strong force into Waramln, and
barricaded it. Then Amir Khan Turkman and Husayn Jan Beg
Khunuslu arrived near Waramln, and sent men to Piri Beg, calling
on him to yield. But he would not. They sent yet another messen-
ger, bidding him deliver up the rebels, and himself submit. And he
would not, but seized Muhammad Beg Qubinohi Ughali, and handed
him over. Then the Chiefs fell upon him, and slew about twenty of
his men, and took others and sent them to Court. And Piri Beg
struggled like a fish caught in a net, and slew two or three
Ghazis.

And on the twenty-seventh day(®) of Safar Sulaq Husayn
Takalu put to death Allah Quli Beg XJstajlu at Qazwin.

Accession of Isma%l the Second.

Now Isma'il had been, for nigh twenty years, in the castle of
Qahqaha, when Shah Tahmasp died and Afshar Agha sent the news.
And with him were not more than seven men, and there were twenty-
five men of Qaraja Dagh(^) in the castle. Isma'il sent for each of
them and seized them. And Muhammad Beg Utak Ughali of the
Rumlu qurchis, whom Khulafa had sent the same night that he over-
threw the Ustajlus, arrived; and after him Jalal 'Ali Shah Virdi Beg
Qurchi Chapani. And Isma‘il rejoiced because of Khulafa and the
Chiefs. And he got certain of his friends into the fort. But
Khalifa-i- Ansar, with a strong force, was near the castle ; and he was
an enemy, and sent men by twos into the castle, being minded to
.attack. But Isma^il, being informed . of this treacherous thing,
seized and imprisoned them. And Khalifa-i-Ansar, seeing that his

Ail^SANir’T-TAWSEiKH.

205

men did not return, sent no more. Then the Chiefs came, such as
Salman Khalifa Shamlu, Farrukhzad Beg Kungurlu, Ahmad Beg
Ishik AghasT, and others. And Khalifa-i- Ansar was sore afraid, and
sent to ask for pardon. And receiving a kind answer, he hastened to
the Court with a sword and a shroud ; and he was forgiven and was
given a dress of honour. Then on Tuesday, the twenty-second day
of Safar, Isma‘il left the castle with his army. And Haydar Sultan
Turkman and qurchi archers joined the Eoyal camp; and troops
were added daily. In two days the army numbered thirty thousand
men. Then Shah Isma'il left for Qazwin. On Thursday he camped
^at the village of Yafat; on Friday at Urshaq; on Wednesday after
that he reached Ardabil. And there he made pilgrimage to the tomb
of Shekh Safiyyu’d-din, and bestowed alms and gifts. On Friday, the
thirtieth day, he left Ardabil, and camped at the village of Khana-i-
shir, where Amir Siyawush, son of Amira Sasan, Governor of Kaskar,
joined him. And news of the capture of Sultan Mustafa Mirza and
the brothers of Husayn the traitor came from the officers of Haji
Uways Beg Bayat, who was made an Amir for this signal service.
Then Chaman-i-Saru Qumish was reached, where the Governor of
Hamadan, Fulad Khalifa Shamlu, joined them, and was made an
Amir. The King stayed there for one day, and commanded that
Murad Khan, grandson of Mantasha Sultan Ustajlu, should be
blinded. So Pira Muhammad Khan Ustajlu, his friend, blinded him,
and sent him to Ardabil. On the seventh day the King marched;
and in the way was joined by Sultan Ibrahim Mirza. On Tuesday
the King camped at Chaman-i-miyana-i-qubba ; on Thursday at Par-
jam; after traversing mountains and plains they reached Nik Pey ;
and on Saturday the river Zinjtoa. On the road Sulaq Husayn
Takalu, Pira Muhammad Ustajlu, and the Talish Chiefs, with Imam
Quli Muhammad, joined the Royal army. Next day they reached
Sultaniyya ; then the neighbourhood of Sayin castle ; then the
summer resort of Chaki Chaki. And the chief men of Qazwin joined
the camp. On the morning of Wednesday they marched, and at
noon reached Aq Saq Arzan; and on Thursday the outskirts of
Qazwin. Then the Shah put forth his hand to promote religious
observances and precepts, and to prevent wanton pastimes ; and to
honour learned and pious leaders. He favoured the army ; and paid
the qurchis, whom the dead Shah had not paid for fourteen years ;

206 ahsanu’t-tawabIkh.

so that a common man got a hundred ttimans, or, it may be two
hundred.

Then Husayn the bad(®) was brought to the Court. Bearing in
mind his wounds the Shah handed him over to his servants. And
certain evil men killed him, without the command of His Majesty.
Therefore it was forbidden that any should touch the followers of Sultan
Haydar Mirza, or their families and goods. So these persons came
from their hiding places. And Chiefs and courtiers, Quch Khalifa,
Keeper of the Seal, Quli Beg Afshar, Shamkhal Beg Charkas, and 'Ali
Beg Qajar, joined the camp with many men. Then the King took
up his residence in the house of Khulafa ; and, later, he set out for
the city, and camped in the Sa'adatabad garden. At this time Haji
Uways Beg Bayat caught Sultan Muzaffar, and brought him to the
Court ; and he was pardoned, an(f treated as the other Princes.
Then, too, Murtaza Quli Sultan Purnak, and Wall Sultan, Governor of
Shiraz, came to Qazwin, and were received ; also Chiefs and nobles,
Governors, Daroghas, Sayyids, Qazis, Shekhs, Qalantars, Heads of
tribes, Commandants of forts, and all sorts of men. And the Khila-
fat of Husayn Quli Khulafa was bestowed upon Bulghar Khalifa.
On Wednesday, the twenty-seventh day of the first Jumada, the
King came to the palace. Ambassadors from the king of the Pranks,
and Sebastian of Portugal, and the Rulers of Georgia, Isa Khan son of
Lawand and Simon Beg son of Lawasan, and the Governor of
Kurdistan, Shah Rustam, were brought to the Court, and were
received honourably and suffered to depart. On Saturday Tukhmaq
Sultan, son of Shah Quli Sultan Ustajlu, who had been sent by Shah
Tahmasp as an envoy to Turkey, and had been given by Sultto
Murad gifts without number, fairy-faced slaves, and tents, and
horses of Arabia and Syria and Hejaz, and boxes of gold and silver,
and rare books, and wondrous stuffs, came to the Court with Sultan
Murad’s Chaush, and presented a letter of friendship.

And at this time Parkar Beg Qajar, who was mad enough, fell
upon Yusuf Khalifa Ziyad Ughali, Governor of Ganja, in the baths,
and slew him. And not content therewith, he slew his mother also.
Therefore the Shah was angered, and ordered him to be seized and
east into prison.

On Tuesday, the seventh day ol Sha'ban Sultan Sulayman
Mirza and Sultan Muzaffar Mirza departed this life. And a messen-

AHSANir’T-TAWARiKH-

207

ger came from Qandahar reporting the death of Sultan Husayn
Mirza, son of Bahram Mirza. And the Sha.h went to the house of his
son to ask thereof, and bestowed the governorship of Qandahar on
Ftilad Khalifa Shamlu. At this time, also, Quch Khalifa, Keeper of
the Seal, was dismissed from his office, and the Seal was given to
Sultan Ibrahim Mirza, son of Bahram Mirza.

And envoys from Ibrahim Khan, Governor of Lar, came by sea,
and presented tribute, money and jewels and horses ; also the envoy
of Muhammad Khan, Governor of Mazandaran, brought tribute.
And the messengers of Jamshid Khan, Governor of Eesht, and of
Sayyid-Sajjad, Governor of Huway za, came to Qazwin, and were
received, together with the envoy of Lar, in the Hall of Forty
Columns. And they professed the loyalty of their masters.

On Wednesday, the twentj^seventh day of Sha‘ban, the body of
the dead Shah, which had been buried for a time in the Haram
Garden, was taken out to be buried beside the Imam ‘Ali Riza. The
Shah mourned, and placed his father’s body at Shahzada Husayn’s,
and ordered a great dinner to be prepared, and himself attended the
Court which had been prepared outside the city, and served on foot
from morn to eve.

Then a dispute arose between Sulaq Husayn Takalu and
Murtaza Quli Sultan Turkman. Therefore the Shah’s anger was
kindled, and he mounted his horse, and shot three of the officers,
and brought this mischief to an end. And at the end of Ramazan
news was brought from Khurasan that Shah Quli Sultan Ustajlu,
Amiru’l-Umara of Khurasan, had been killed. For he had thought
to rebel and do evil; and Husayn Sultan Afshar, Khusraw Sultan
Kur Ughali, Amir Hasan Khatib, and the other Ghazis of Herat, took
counsel together, and armed themselves, and went to his house, and
killed him, all his servants having fled. And they sent a messenger
to bear the news to Qazwin. And the Shah appointed Urus Sultan,
Governor of Shirwan, to Herat. At this time Husayn Quli Khulafa,
who had oft-times been rebellious, was blinded. Also Sayyid Beg
Kamuna, who had been a follower of Sultan Haydar Mirza, was put
in prison. On Sunday, the sixth day of Zi’l^ijj^* Nur ‘Ali Khalifa,
son of Bulghar Khalifa, was arrested. The Shah had raised him
from being a mounted orderly of low position to be an Amir. And. in
his folly he thought that the heavens could not revolve, nor the wind

208

AHS ANXJ’T-TAWAE IKII ,

blow, without his leave. And he did as was not pleasing to the
King. That day Sultan Mahmud Mirza, Sultan Ahmad Mirza, and
Muhammad Husayn Mirza bin Sultto Husayn Mirza bin Bahram
Mirza, were also killed. And at the same time Sultan Ibrahim Mirza,
son of Bahram Mirza, who had received marks of favour but oft-
times had shown treachery, received his punishment, and was put to
death. Orders were passed that day, too, for the death of certain
Sufis.

Now a number of Kurds of Diyarbakr had come to Qazwin, and,
trusting in their numbers, in Shah Tahmasp’s time smote every man
with whom they had a contention. And the Shah had not interfered.
And this day they killed the bazar Darogha, and it had been repre-
sented to Shah Isma'il how they did. So therefore he commanded
Musib Khan, son of Muhammad lifhan Takalu, and Murtaza Quli
Sultan Purnak, to go against them with men. And they killed
nearly five hundred of them, and sent the rest to the Court ; and the
Shah then pardoned them.

Then the place of the Great Seal was given to Shamkhal Sultan.
On Tuesday, the fifteenth day of Zi’l-hijja, ShS/h ^Ali Khalifa ZuT-
Qadar, Governor of Shabankara,(®) came to Qazwin; and the next
day Khalil Khan Afshar, Governor of Kuh-i-Giluya. And they were
received in the Hall of Forty Columns. About two thousand tumans
in money and goods were presented to the Shah. And, daily, bodies
of men arrived.

Deaths.

Shah Tahmasp(^®) bin Shah Isma'il. In his youth his heart
inclined to writing and drawing. And later he would ride Egyptian
asses, on which he put golden saddles, and coats of gold embroidery,
so that ‘ BuquT-fishq ’ wrote that writers and painters, and Qazwinis,
and asses, flourished without trouble. In middle age he would work
in his office from morn till eve, and all work he did himself. With-
out his orders his officers could not pay a farthing to any man. And
he would pare his nails one day, and spend the whole of another day
in the baths. He thought all things unclean, and often he would
spit out what he was eating. And at banquets he would eat nothing.
When he drank, he drank to excess. He would dissolve nearly five
hundred tumans’ worth of opium(^^) in water. Later he abandoned
aU luxuries ; and, for twenty years, he did not ride. He left behind

AHS ANXJ’T-TAW ABIKH .

209

him the Tehran battlements, and the Mashhad battlements; the
palace at Qazwin, and fine baths there ; a mosque at Tabriz ; an inn
between Zinjan and Siiltaniyya ; and other buildings. In his person
he was tall, with a long face, long arms, sallow complexion, and a
white beard. In his time the folk had great peace. He would not
send a Darogha ; so in Adarbayjan there were ever disputes. And
the army was so loyal to him that none complained, though they
were not paid for fourteen years.

His sons were : —

(1) Sultan Muhammad Khudabanda — afterwards Shah.

(2) Isma‘!l Mirza.

(3) Sultan Murad Mirza — sent with Humayun to Qandahar,

where he died. ^

(4) Sulayman Mirza — made by Tahmasp chief officer at

Mashhad ; killed this year at Qazwin by Isma^il’s

command.

(5) Sultta Haydar Mirza — Ma‘sum Beg Safawl was made his

guardian ; he was killed, as is written above.

(6) Sultan Mustafa Mirza — killed this year by Isma‘iFs com-

mand.

(7) Sultan Mahmud Mirza — appointed Governor of Shirwan;

killed this year by Ismail’s command.

(8) Sultan ‘All Mirza — made governor of Ganja; killed this

year by Ismail’s command.

(9) Imam Qull Mirza — made Governor of Lahijan; killed also

this year by Ismail’s command.

(10) Sultan Ahmad Mirza — also killed this year by Ismail’s

command.

(11) Zaynui-'abidin Mirza — died in childhood at Qazwin.

(12) Musa Mirza — also died, when young, at Qazwin.

On the night of Monday, the ninth day of Zi’l-qa‘da Maw-
lana Amir Fakhru’d-din Simaki died. He was a pupil of Amir
Ghiyas-u’d-din Mansur of Shiraz. He wrote notes on theological
subjects, and a commentary on the ' Tajrid’.

A.H.986. '

Now the men of Shirwarf rebelled, and put Burhan’s sister’s son,
Kaus Mirza, over themselves. And he set out for Shabiran. Urns

210

AKSA NU’T-TAWARiKH,

Sultan Rumlu, Governor of that place, appointed six hundred men
against those foolish ones. They reached the enemy two leagues
from Shabiran. Then Mirza Kaus and his men fell upon them. But
the Ghazis threw themselves against their centre, and overthrew it.
And Mirza Kaus fled, but he and four hundred men were slain, and
their heads were sent to the Court. On Wednesday, the twenty-
sixth day of the first month of Rabr, Mirza Shukrullah resigned
his ministership, and the ministry was conferred on Mirza Salman.
On that Wednesday, too, the office of Sadr was given to Shah Inayat-
ullah, a Sayyid of Isfahan,

The taking of Pilangan castle, (f-)

Now the Shah heard that Iskandar, Governor of the castle of
Pilangan, had rebelled, and had oft-rimes fought with the Governor
of Kurdistan, and was again minded to fight. Therefore Sulaq
Husayn Takalu was sent with a large and well-equipped army.
And Iskandar, in fear, acted warily, and betook himself to the hills.
And, when the Qizilbashes arrived near the castle, Iskandar joined
battle; but, after a bloody fight, he fled towards *Qara which is
hard by the castle. And the remnants of his men were cut to
pieces. But Iskandar escaped with two or three unfortunates.
Sulaq Husayn sent the news to the Court. The messengers went
from Pilangan to Qazwin in three days. Then Sulaq was made
Governor of that province, and peace was restored.

At this time Husam Beg, son of Bahram Beg Qaramtol, of his
folly, killed a poor man; then he hid in the city. But he was
caught, and impaled. And Urdtighdi Khalifa Takalu, Governor of
Ray, was imprisoned. And the Shah sent forty-four horsemen with
all speed to Tehran to slay Sultan Hasan Mirza. So these qurchls
went, half on one side and half on the other, and put a rope round
the Prince’s neck, and slew him. And the Shah appointed 'Ali Quli
Khan Shamlu to Herat ; and he was the grandson of Durmish Khan.
And he set out with a strong company. Further it was heard at
Court that Abu’l-Khan and his brethren had raided as far as Naysha-
pur. Therefore Husayn Beg, son of Stinduk Beg Afshar, was sent
with speed after them; and he attacked, and killed, or wounded,
about a hundred, and sent their heads to the Court.

* Or, ‘ a village’ {?).

ahsanu’t-tawarikh.

211

On Tuesday, the fifth day of Rajab, envoys came to Qazwin
from NizamuT-mulk,(^) King of the Deccan, with gifts. On Tuesday,
the third day of Sha'ban, the Shah sent his son, Shuja‘u’d-din
Muhammad, to Wall Sultan, Governor of Shiraz, who made ready a
great feast. On the night before Friday, (^) the twenty-fourth day of
Sha'ban, a dreadful comet, stretching across half the heavens
appeared in Sagittarius. On the night before Sunday, the thirteenth
day of Ramazan, the Shah mounted his horse, and fared forth with
Hasan Beg, a confectioner, and some of his courtiers into the streets
and bazars. Near morning, he alighted at Hasan Beg’s house for
rest. And there he died. Some say that Hasan conspired with his
enemies, and gave him bhang,(^) and then strangled him. It is
strange that Isma^il bin Hafiz-li4lni’llah(^) of Egypt also was killed
in this same fashion by a youth, whose name was Nasr. But it is
more likely that the Shah was not killed, for he used to eat opium
to excess, because of a severe colic, which came every few days.
After his death the nobles and Ministers gathered in the palace, and
agreed to make Sultan Muhammad Khudabanda(®) king. So many
of them set out for Shiraz.

The history of Sultan Muhammad Khuddband-a’s life*

He was born in the year 938 a.h. Shah Tahmasp made the
AmiruT-umara, Husayn Khan Shamlu, his guardian, and then Man-
tasha Sultan Ustajlu. At the end of the year 942 a.h., he was
appointed to Khurasto. Muhammad Khan Sharafu’d-din Ughali
Takalu was placed over Herat, and to supervise the Prince’s army
till he grew up. He pacified Khurasan; and, since ‘Ubayd Khan
also died, there was peace. In the year 963 the Shah called him,
and he left Herat on Friday, the fourth day of Sha‘ban, and reached
the Court the end of Shawwal. In the year 964 he was again
appointed to Herat, and on Saturday, the ninth of Safar, he set out.
When he approached Mashhad he was minded to make pilgrimage to
the shrines. So he entered the Holy sepulchre, and bestowed grants
and alms, and he reached Herat again on Tuesday, the ninth of the
second Rabr. After the death of Qazaq he set out for Qazwin by the
Shah’s order. And it became manifest that Am^r Ghayb Beg Dstaj.
Iti could not manage Herat ; «o the Prince was again appointed, and
Sfo out; Shah Quli Sultan Yakan was with him. At this time

212

AHSANU’T-TAWAKiKH.

‘Abdullah Khan bin Iskandar bin Jani Beg Sultan, and Khusraw
Sultan, with thirty thousand horse, came to Khurasan. The Prince,
never fearing them, set out to meet that great host with three
thousand horse, notwithstanding counsel that he should wait till the
Khurasan Chiefs joined him. He entered the castle of Turbat, and
‘Abdullah and Khusraw camped hard by. And daily there were
combats, till the Uzbeks despaired of success, and retreated towards
Bukhara. Then the Prince returned to his capital. And, some years
after, the Prince was transferred to Shiraz, leaving his son ‘Abbas
at Herat. When news of Shah Tahmasp’s death came, he thought to
claim the throne. But Wall Sultan, Governor of the country, forsook
him, and set out for Qazwin. And the army also was faithless. So
the Prince gave up his claim, though he was the rightful claimant,
both by law and by religion ; and, refraining from shedding blood,
remained at Shiraz till Isma‘irs death, when all the chief men came
to him.

First, Iskandar Beg Sliamlu came, in six days, from Qazwin to
Shiraz, and gave him the good news. And at first he did not believe
it, but deemed it Isma‘il Mirza’s deceit. But, when he was assured
of its truth, he made Iskandar a Khan and called him ‘ Good news
Khan’. The next day ‘Ali Beg, son of Muhammad Khan Sultan
JZu’l-Qadar, confirmed the news, and the Prince collected and armed
his men, and set out for Qazwin, conferring the governorship of
Shiraz and its dependencies on ‘Ali Beg, and sending men to cap-
ture Wall Sultan and Shah Qiili Sultan, son of Tabit Agha.

And when the new’s of the Prince’s coming reached Isfahan,
Husayn Quli Sultan Shamlu came to him and brought tents and
Court appurtenances, and established the Royal Court. And the
writer of this chronicle met the Prince at Qum, and was received
among his courtiers. When the Prince camped at Ribat-i-dang(’)
Amir Khan Turkman, Khalil Khan Afshar, Quli Beg Qurchibashi,
and other high nobles, arrived. Then, when he passed Ribat-i-
Sayhab, Pira Muhammad Khan Ustajlu, Khalifa-i-Ansar, and other
great Chiefs joined him.

And when they reached Qazwin, Sulayman Padshah (^) bin
Sultan Uways bin Sultan Mahmud bin Sultan Abu Sa‘id bin Mirza
Sultan Shah Muhammad bin Mirza Miranshah bin Amir Timur, came
to his Court, and was received, and then returned. And at that time

AHS antj’t-tawSrikh . 213

news came of the rebellion of Pari Khan Khanam(®) and Shamkhal
Sultan.

Now Pari Khto Khanam’s house was fortified, and a rabble was
gathered together. And thus Shamkhal Sultan was made overbold.
Of his kindness the Prince sent messengers to them, calling on them to
yield. Then he marched on Qazwin, and, when he came near, Sham-
khal fied to the village of Sabzikar, and appealed to Amir Aslan Beg
Afshar. But he cut off his head, and brought it to the Court. Then
Pari Khto Khanam took refuge in the women’s quarters. But His
Majesty handed her over to Khalil Khan Afshar, who put her to
death.

On Thursday, the fifth day of Zi’l-hijja, His Majesty came to
the palace, and was attended^ by companies of Chiefs, courtiers,
Sayyids, and others, who were suitably received. And Mirza Salman
was made Wazir. Then the Prince distributed the treasures of Shah
Tahmasp at Qazwin among the Chiefs and Sayyids, and the poor,
and soldiers, and all manner of men ; and paid-^^®; the troops, whom
Tahmasp had not paid for fourteen years, and Isma‘il Mirza but a
hundredth part with a hundred evils ; so that men forgot the generos-
ity of Ugutay Qa’an,(^^) And from the time of Adam till now,
being the year 985 a.h., no king had paid his soldiers like this. And,
when it was rumoured abroad, Islamic rulers sent envoys to the
Court. At this time, too, the Prince gave the governorship of
Tabriz to Amir Klian Turkman ; of Ardabil and its dependencies to
Pira Muhammad Khan Ustajlu; and of Khuy to ‘Ali Quli Sultan
Turkman.

At that time news came from Adarbayjan that the Kurds had
attacked Khuy. For when Ismail became Shah, Qazi Beg, son of
Shah Quli Balilan Kurd, sent envoys to Qazwin to congratulate him ,
and he was given a writ for the governorship of Salmas and Tasuj.(^^)
But, when he heard of Ismail’s death, he repented of what he had
done, and he fell upon Khuy, where Mahmud Beg Rumlu was Gover-
nor. ,And Mahmud was against him with two hundred horse. And
they met near the village of Wuldiyan ; and Mahmud fled without
fighting. Then the Kurds attacked Husayn Jan Sultto Khunuslu,
who was besieged in a village with about twelve hundred horse. For
about a month they fought ; ‘^and the army of Wan and Wustan, and
Qazi Beg, son of Shah Quli Balilan, came to the help of the Kurds,

214

Al^SANTT^T-TAWARiKH.

Thus they fought all day, and many were killed. Then, as they
failed in the attack, the Kurds essayed treachery against Husayn Jto.
And the Khunuslu men after taking oaths from the Kurds, went to
them. But most of them were killed.

At this time, too, the Er2ierum(^®) Pasha brought a large force,
thinking to come to Shura Gil. But Mirza 'All Beg, son of Ghulam
‘All, who was one of his most important Chiefs, represented that
he need not go himself, saying that he, Mirza 'Ali Beg, would
capture the Governor of Shura Gil and bring him. So the Pasha
sent 'All with seven thousand horse to attack Shura Gil. They
marched by an unknown way against Qara Khan Beg of Bayburt
and, when they arrived unexpectedly, Qara Khan Beg met them,
and killed fifty of them. Howbeit, iq^any Ghazis, who had dismount-
ed, were killed, and they were pursued to the village, and Qara Khan
Beg’s tent was burnt. But Qara Khan Beg heartened his men, and
they attacked again ; and the Turks fled, and were pursued, and
three hundred were killed, and the rest were scattered; and four
hundred more perished in the deep snow. And Mirza 'All Beg, thus
routed and ruined, threw himself into Erzerum.

NOTES.— HISTORICAL AND GENERAL.

900 A.H.

(1) The Princes, i.e. Ali, Ibrahim, and Isma'il. — There are other
brothers — ^not of the same mother — ^mentioned later. It appears that
Ibrahim was older than Tsma^d, according, at least, to the Habibu’s-siyar.

). What happened to him is
not clear ; Browne says he returned from Gilan ; Malcolm says he died in
Gilan. Hammer-Purgstall states that he was captured by Prince Sahm
bin Bayazid of Turkey in Asia Minor.

(2) Ayha Sultan. — This important Chief is stated by the Sharafnama

to have been the son of Dtoa ]^alil Qajar. and the Jahan Ara agrees
( 0 ;^^ iAjtj Ai' lib ) Hammer-Purgstall says

he was the son of Khalil bin Uzun Hasan. The Ta’rikh-i-Qipchaqkhani
(a late history finished in 1137 a.h.) makes him brother of Rustam
Beg. But even this history recognizes his connection with the Qajar
tribe — ^j.9 cijj Ljj‘ j

;l-^ and again where it says that Rustam
Beg sent Ayba Sultan with the Qajar army against Kar Kiya Mirza
All of Gilan. We may, I think, assume that the Jahan Ara and Sharaf-
nama are right. Ayba Sultan Qajar (whose name was Ibrahim) had a
number of brothers ; Nur Ali Beg, Guzil Ahmad, Ashraf Beg, and Ya^qub
Jan are mentioned. When Shah Isma‘irs father, Haydar, fought with
Farrukh Yasar of Shirwan Ya'qub bin Uzun Hasan sent Ayba and
Sulayman Beg Bizhan to assist the Shirwan King, and they defeated
and killed Haydar at Tabarsaran. The name Ayba is believed to be
Turkish Aybak, ' Moon I^ord \

(3) The Sufi Cap, — The text has j* The Jahan

Ara and Habibu’s-siyar have much the same. Later, Shah Ismail,
when entering battle against Shaybak Khan, turned back Ids turban
from his ' Taj and there too/ Taj ’ means the Sufi Cap. See notes
on the text.

(4) The Ahsan does not give the name of the place at which the
skirmish occurred. The Jahan Ara (Nusakh-i- Jahan- Ara) of Qazi
Ahmad u’l-Ghaffari (6. 919 a.h. at Tehran, d. 975 a.h. after a pilgrim-
age to the Hijaz) calls the village Baruq (Maruq ?), a league from Ardabil,
The unknown! author whose work has been dealt with by Ross (J.R.A.S.,
1896, p. 249) says the place was Shamasi. This was a village just south
of Ardabil — ^where the fugitive Emperor Humayun was met when he
went to visit Ardabil.

216

ahsantj’t-tawabikh.

(5) 'Alamshdh Begam. — ^Marta, Halima, Bald Aqa, or 'Alamshah
Begam, daughter of Uzun Hasan and Despina Khatun, who was daughter
of Kalo Joannes, the last Christian Emperor of Trebizond (Browne,
Literary History, Vol. IV, p. 47). She was the sister of Sultan Ya^qub.

(6) Qurq Sldl ^All . — I find this man mentioned in the Sharafnama
as Governor of Eort Alanchiq, where Bus bam Beg was confirmed. By
agreement with him Ayba Sultan got Rustam released, and they marched
off against Sulayman Beg Bizhan, who, deserted by his Chiefs, fled to
Diyarbakr, where Ayba’s brother, Nur ‘Ali, put him to death.

(7) Amim IsJboq, the Ruler of Resht. — ^The Province of Gilan was
divided into Biya Pas, with its capital of Resht, then under Amira Ishaq
bin Muhammad, and Biya Pish (capital Lahijan) under Kar Kiya Mirza
‘Ali. Biya was the local name of the river Safid Rud, which divided
these two districts. Amira Dubbaj, whose history is given later, was
grandson of Amira Ishaq ; Khan Afrmad, who was deposed, and im-
prisoned at the end of Shah Tahmasp’s reign, w'as of Mirza 'All’s family.
For a detailed history of the two districts see Rabino’s article in J.R.A.S.,
1918, p. 85.

(8) Mir Najm was subsequently advanced by Isma'il to high degree.
His name, as given in the Habibu’s-siyar, was Amir Najmu’d-din Mas'ud
Gilani, and he : —

(9) Tangas. — Thetanga, or tanka, was a small coin — 200 equalling one
tumto. Brosset makes it equal to the more modern Georgian ' Chaour
and one-fifth of a franc or, say, two pence. Thirty thousand tangas
would thus be about £250, but worth, of course, a great deal mor^ than
our modern money. The dictionaries give both tanga and tanka ; the
Ghiyasu’hlughat tanka only. The tanga is in general use in Bukhara ;
it is frequently mentioned in the Russian Reports on Bukhara and
its conquest by Russia. 400 tangas are quoted as worth about £12. (Capt.
Kostenko’s Report, translated by Michell, p. 50.) The tanga is also
in use in Khiva, where it was worth 5*375 pence. (Muraviev’s Journey
to Khiva, p. 137 — 1819-20 A.n.) See also Schuyler’s Turkistan, Vol. I,
p. 203 ; the tanga was worth 5-|d.

(10) Mansur Beg Purndk, became Governor of Ears in 882 a.h.
according to Mirza Format’s Asar-i-'Ajam (p. 582), or 883 a.h. according
to others (vide an article in the Iranshahr, Vol. Ill, No. 7, p. 410). It
was Mansur who confined Isma‘il and his brothers in the fort of Istakhr.
The date of Mansur’s death is given below* as 903 a.h. The Purnaks
were a Turkman tribe,

(11) Nur ‘All Beg — brother of Ayba Sultan (Jahan Ara).

(12) Sultan Md^imud was the third son of Sultan Abu Said. Babur
has a full description of Mahmud (see Mrs. Beveridge’s Baburnama, p. 45).

AHSANU^T-TAWARIKH.

217

‘ He carried violence and vice to frantic excess, was a constant wine
bibber, and kept many catamites.’

901 A.H.

(1) SuHdn HusayrCs campaign against Hisdr and Qunduz, — This
is described in full in the Baburnama. Mahmud’s daughter was sent
for Sultan’s Husayn’s son Haydar.

Hisar Shadman and Qunduz are still well-known places. Qunduz
is supposed to be ^ ' old fort ’ ; it is said to have a very unhealthy
climate ; so much so that there is a proverb —

‘ if you want to die go to Qunduz ’.

(2) Khusraw Shah w^as a Qipchaq Turk, who had been in the service
of Sultan Mahmud, after whose death he became semi-independent. ‘ He
blinded one of his benefactor’s sons and murdered another,’ says Babur
(Baburnama, p. 50 ; murder of Baysunqur, p. 110 ; blinding of Mas^ud,
p, 95).

(3) The tomb of Sa^di, is a well-knowm walled enclosure outside Shiraz,
containing the grave of the poet Sa‘di (d. 691 or 692 a.h.) ; Curzon’s
Persia, Vol. II, p. 107, has an excellent illustration of it.

(4) Sufi Khalil Maivslln, was one of the Kurdish supporters of Ya'qub
bin Uzun Hasan, and the lala, or guardian, of his son Baysunqur. He
played a considerable part in the confused fighting which followed
Ya'qub’s death, and was eventually killed in battle with Sulayman Beg
Bizhan. Two persons mentioned in this history were his grandsons —
Ibrahim Khan Mawsilu and the 'All Beg who killed Zd’l-faqar the
Baghdad usurper.

902 A-H.

(1) Ahmad Pddshdh. His father, Ughurlu Muhammad, fled to
Turkey from his father Uzun Hasan. There he was received by
Sultan Muhammad and given a daughter of that monarch (Sharafnama).
Their son was Ahmad, who was nicknamed Kuda, or Kudaja, by Sultan
Bayazid. For Ughurlu’s end see Browme, Vol. Ill, j). 413. It must
however be observed that the Sharafnama states that Ughurlu was
killed fighting on the Turkish side against Uzun Hasan near Bayburt
in 879 A.H.

(2) Sultdniyya — ^founded by Arghun and built by Uljaytu, who was
buried here.

(3) Zlydyl, of Urdubad (on the Aras river under Nakhchiwan), accord-
ing to the Atash Kada, migrated to Herat, and was patronised by Amir
'All Shir, but after the ruin of the Timurides returned to Azarbayjan,
and died at Tabriz 928 a.h. As to Rustam’s death Khwandamir’s
Khulasatu’l-akhbar says that Rustam fled to Georgia, and later on fell
into Ahmad’s hands, and was killed. The Jahan Ara corroborates this,

218

A^S anh’t-tawarikh .

saying that Rustam and the word formed the

chronogram for his death (902 a.h.).

(4) Sultan Husayn and Badl'u'z-zamdn in 902 A.H. When Badi‘u’z-
zaman was appointed to Balkh he had to leave Astarabad, where he had
been till then. He resented this, and his resentment developed into
rebellion. It was this that made his father advance against him. The
feeble resistance of the son was overcome at the Pul-i-Chiragh valley,
near Balkh — it may be Bil-i-Chiragh (bil=pass). See Mrs. Beveridge’s
Baburnama, p. 69, note. The Habibu’s-siyar has Bil-i-Chiragh clearly.

(5) Shah GhaHb Mirzd, was a son of Khadija Agha and full brother
of Muzaffar Husayn. For his character see Baburnama, p. 161.

903 A.H,

(1) The Tomb of Solomon's Mother, i.e. Cyrus’ tomb, on the road
from Shiraz to Isfahan; see notes oij^the text.

(2) Shlrwdn. Sultan Murad was the son of Ya^qub and of the
daughter of Farrukh Yasar ; he was thus the grandson of the Shirwan
King. He was also first cousin of Shah Isma‘il. Isma^il was a close
kinsman of the White Sheep Turkman Chiefs. His mother was sister of
Ya'qub, and his grandmother (Khadija Khatun) was the sister of XJzun
Hasan. Shah Isma'il’s name for MurM was Na Murad (failure), and he
is constantly styled Na Murad in the Habibu’s-siyar.

(3) Khwdja Hasan-i-Mdzl. Ross’ historian says “ at Ulang-i-Kaniz
and Khwaja Hasan-i-Mazi ”. The Habibu’s-siyar writes " at Kaniz
Ulang-i- Isfahan ”. The battle was therefore near Isfahan. Ulang-i-
Kaniz is stated by Houtum- Schindler (J.R.A.S., 1897, p. 114) to be a
small plateau 60 miles from Isfahan on the Burujird road " now called
Kaiz or Qaiz ”.

(4) Ru'lndiz. As stated in the notes on the text the manuscripts
read Rubandar. But the Sharafnama and Qipchaq KJian gave Ru’indiz.
Ru indiz (brazen fort) was near Tabriz. Riza Quli Khan in his Farhang-i-
Na§iri says that, according to the Haft Iqlim, Ru’indiz was a strong fort
three leagues from Maragha, and adds that, to his knowledge, ruins of a
fort exist in that locality with cuneiform inscriptions. See also Le
Strange’s Nuzhatu’l-qulub, p. 84.

(5) Ulang-i‘Ni$hln — ^near Herat.

Babur (Baburnama, p. 94) says that Sultan Husayn led his army
out for the purpose of putting down Zu’n-nun Arghun and his son Shah
Shuja , because they had become Badi'u’z-zaman’s retainers, and had
taken up a position hostile to himself. Amir Zu'n-nun Arghun bin Hasan
(entitled Ba§ri) was a Chaghatay noble and an officer of Sultan Abu
Sa id, after whose death he went to Farah and Qandahar and contended
successfully with the Nikudari and Hazara tribesmen, and ruled as far
south as Kech Makran. His son, Amir Shah Shuja', after war with

ABiSANU’T-TAWARIKH.

219

Babur, conquered Sind, and died about 928 a.h. Shah Shuja^’s son
Mirza Shah Husayn Beg, who is mentioned later on in connection with
Humayun, ruled over Tatta, and died 951 a.h. (Ta’rikh-i-Qipchaq-
khani). Zu’n-nun is constantly spoken of in the Baburnama ; his
character is given on p. 274. ‘ Arghun’ means fair complexioned : for

a discussion of the word see Elias and Ross Ta’rikh-i-Rashidi, p. 290,
note.

Muhammad Wali Beg, ‘ Umar Beg, and Baba 'All, were Chieftains of
Sultan Husayn, and are all mentioned and discussed by Babur in his
account of Sultan Husayn and his Court (p. 270 et seq. Baburnama).
Baba 'Ali was originally an officer of Mir ‘Ali Shir and was present with
that minister when Yadgar-i-Muhammad was killed in the Ravens’
Garden at Herat (Habibu’s-siyar). These Chiefs arrived from Astarabad,
whither they had been sent against Muhammad Husayn Mirza, who
had rebelled against his father, ♦Sultan Husayn.

(6) Amir Sadru'd-dln Muhammad. There is a meagre notice of this
philosopher, and his son (who is mentioned frequently in this history)
in the Atash Kada. Mirza Fursat (Asar-i-‘Ajam, p. 83) says that
Sadru’d-din was killed by Turkman marauders, and is buried in the
Mansuriyya Madrassa at Shiraz.

904 A.H.

(1) ^Azlz Kandl. The place appears to be some 35 miles E.S.E. of
Suj Bulaq.

(2) ShuUstdn, a district of Ears, N.W. of Shiraz, taking its name from
the Shul tribe who were expelled from Luristan by the Lurs in the
twelfth century of the Christian era and are described by Ibn Bajiuta
as ‘ a Persian desert tribe Vide Curzon’s Persia, Vol. II, p. 318.

(3) Halwa Chashma. The battle is just mentioned by Babur, but
with no details. It is curious to note that Abu’l-Muhsin — Sultan Husayn’s
rebellious son — is the prince from whose name Husayn al-Kashifi derived
the title of his Akhlaq-i-Muhsini, wherein he extols Abu’l-Muhsin’s duti-
ful conduct. This book was written in 900 a.h. ; Abu’l-Muhsin’s
conduct must have deteriorated very soon after this.

(4) Ablward and Nisd are usually mentioned together — towns some
hundred miles north of Mashhad. Abiward was the birth-place of the
poet Anwari. A curious explanation of the name Nisa is quoted from
Abu Sa‘d by Barbier de Meynard. When the Mahomedans attacked this
place aU the men fled, leaving their women. Seeing no men the Muslims

exclaimed Ce sont des femmes ). . , .aliens assi^ger une autre

viUe”.

Bdbd Khdki — thirteen yighach (farsakhs, leagues) east of Herat.
(Baburnama, p. 326.)

220

a^sanu't-tawIrikh.

(5) Muhammad Buranduq Barlds — one of Sultan Husayn’s chief
Amirs. (See Baburnama, j). 270.)

(6) Amir Husayn the Biddler. — ^Mawlana Mir Kamalu’d-din Husayn
of Nayshapur. (Baburnama, p. 288.)

905 A.H.

(1) Kdr Ulang, The exact locality is not known to me, but
it must be close to Isfahan.

(2) Qizil Uzun. This is the name of the river known to the ancients
as Amardus : nearer its mouth it is the Safid Rud, or Biya.

(3) Arjuwdn, a village under Astara. The general direction of the
march is clear, but the individual villages cannot be traced on modern
maps. Ross’ historian gives them as, Daylam, Tarum, Khalkhal, Baranduq
(Sham Qizil Uzun), Nasaz, Kuyi, Hafzabad, Alaruk, Ardabil, Mirmi.

(4) And others say. The wording in the text is almost exactly the
same as in Ross’ historian, clearly showing a connection between the
two works.

(5) Gukcha Denglz, Lake Gokcha. Mughdndt, the comitry south of
the Aras river near its mouth. Gamy a, now Elisavetpol.

(6) Bdrdni. The Jahan Ara says : — ^

The Black sheep Turkman Chiefs were also known by the name

of Barani, as the White Sheep Chiefs were called Bayandur (Jahan Ara).

(7) Chukhur Sa^d. This is the district of which Erivto is chief town.
Brosset (Histoire de la Georgie) says : — ‘‘ Je crois que ce nom est la
traduction du georgien Phoso-sakhli, nom d’un petit district au N.O.
du lac de Palacatzio ou de Tchildir. En effet Tchougour signifie ‘ fosse ’.”

(8) Du Quzdldm. In A. and B. ; in J. The

Bodleian Jahan Ara has In the Bodleian Habibu’s-siyar (Elliot,

148) we-have , as the place where Qaraja Ilias Beg

Ayghud tJghali joined Isma'il.

(9) Shura Gil. A town between Qars and Pasin, in the neighbour-
hood of Qaqazman (shown on modern maps as Kaghyshman, Kagizman,
etc.).

(10) Mantash. This person is mentioned on the Habibu’s-siyar
and other histories, but without any explanation as to who he was.
The Habibu’s-siyar says his fort was near Shura Gil,

(11) Tarjdn, on the road from Erzerum to Diyarbakr — the scene of
Uzun Hasan’s defeat by the Turks.

(12) Zamln-i-Ddwar. The .district of Afghanistan to the west of
Qandahar ; the valley of the Helmund.

(13) Awba, a village near HeVat. (Vide note on p. 229 of Mirza
Muhammad Qazwini’s Chahar Masala — Gibb Memorial Series, VoL XI).

(14) Chichiktu, mentioned in the’^Haff Iqlim as being near Maymana.
Stated by Mrs. Beveridge to have be^n on the Balkh-Herat road.

AHSANTj’T-TAWARiKH.

221

(15) Sayyid ^Abdullah, This may possibly be the man mentioned
in the Baburnama (p. 266) as grandson of Bayqara Mirza.

(16) Lah Khdna. I do not find this place mentioned elsewhere ;
clearly it is a locality near Herat.

(17) Pul4-Mdldn, a bridge over the river Hiri, about 12 miles south
of Herat ; a place of resort for the Heratis ; where Humayun was met
when he approached Herat. The Habibu’s-siyar says it was a bridge of
twenty-six arches, made of brick and lime masonry, and believed to
have been built by a certain widow woman. The bridge is now in ruins,
but visitors to Herat are still met at its site. (Yate’s Khurasan and
Sistan, p. 16.)

(18) Kukas. The building of the Kukas, and the description of the
different ships, are taken, almost word for word, from the Hasht Bihisht,
a Persian history of the first eight Turkish Sultans, from Usman 726
A.H. to Bayazid 918 a.h., by Mariana Idris bin Husamu’d-din of Bitlis,
who died 926 a.h., the same year as Sultan Salim. He was the author
of the chronogram for the establishment of the Shi‘a religion in Persia

It is said that Isma'il asked Idris if he had made this
chronogram, and Idris replied that he had, but it was Arabic and not
Persian (‘' Our religion is true ’’) — an answer which so pleased Ismail
that he invited Idris to enter his service. The honour was declined.
But other authorities attribute the chronogram, and its explanation as
being Arabic and not Persian, to the Mujtahid Shekh ‘Ali ‘Abdul- ‘Ali.

(19) Lepanto. The Turkish name is aLT or Abj: (Naupactus).

(20) Isfardin. The old town of Lsfarain, west of Quchan (Khabushan)
now represented by ruins, is mentioned by Ibn Hawkal and in the
Nuzhatu’l-qulub. For a modern description of its neighbourhood and
ruins, see Yate’s Khurasan and Sistan, p. 378.

(21) Amir Badru'd-dln. He is not mentioned elsewhere in this
history ; possibly he is the man mentioned on p. 278, Baburnama.

(22) Zdwa, a town (capital of a district of the same name east of
Turshiz) mentioned in the Nuzhatu’l-qulub as being fifteen leagues from
Tus (Tus was fifteen miles N.N.W. of Mashhad). It was the birth-place
of Qutbu’d-din Haydar, whose burial here gave it its present name of
Turbat-i- H aydari.

(23) Sultan Muhammad — ^i.e. Sultan Muhammad Mirza bin Baysun-
qur bin Shah Eukh.

(24) Oohar Shdd Begam Madrassa — ^founded by Gohar Shad (widow of
Shah Ru]?:h) who was put to death by Sultan Abu Said in 861 a.h.

906 A.H.

(1) Ustdjlu. These eight Turkish tribes formed the armies of
the so-caUed national Safawl dynasty of Persia. The Shamlus and
Rumlus are supposed to have been descendants of Syrian and Turkish

222

ABtSANU’T-TAWABiKH,

prisoners, taken by Timur in his wars with the Turkish Sultan Bayazid
(Vide Malcolm’s History, Vol. I, p. 390, note). In the Silsilatu’n-nasab
(Browne’s edition of the text, pp. 47, 48) it is stated that Timur, after
his war with the Turks, passed through Ardabil, and summoned Sultan
Khwaja ‘Ali, an ancestor of the Safawi kings, and gave him a cup of
poison. The poison was drunk, but it came out in sweat, and did no
harm. Amazed at this Timur gave Sultan Khwaja ^Ali all his Turkish
prisoners. Sultan Khwaja ‘Ali set them free, and gave them a place
to live in ; and they became known as the Rumlu Sufis. Herbert, who
mentions this freeing of the prisoners, adds, “ That act added infinitely
to the Santo’s credit ”. The Takalus came from Taka (Tekke, the south-
west corner of Asia Minor) ; the Warsaqs from the Warsaq district of
Qaramania. Hammer-Purgstall states that the Taurus N.W. of Selifke
is still called Warsaqtaghi. The Zu’l-Qadar tribe’s headquarters were
Diyarbakr ; Qajars and Afshars are ^scattered throughout Persia, and
are still powerful tribes. Nadir Shah was an Afshar, and the late royal
family of Persia Qajars. The Ustajlus came from Asia Minor. The Jahan
Ara states that, when Isma^il left Lahijan, the Ustajlu tribesmen were
persuaded to join him by Hamza Beg, and they sent their families
( AhA ) back to Rum, while the young men went with Ismail.

(2) Qurqura, i.e. the Atabek of Samtzkhe (Georgia). Qurqura III,
died this year (906 a.h. = 1500 a.d.) and was succeeded by his son
Kaykhusraw. The reason why an attack on the Georgians was sug-
gested appears to be that Isma‘il’s father Haydar made several attacks
on the Georgians — to enlarge his own power, and also as a sacred war
upon infidels. To attack the Georgians he passed through Shirwan,
and it was this that brought him into collision with Farrukh Yasar of
Shirwan, and led to the battle in which he was killed.

(3) Quyun Uluml. This was the place where the river Kur was gene-

rally crossed. The spelling varies in the manuscripts. The Bodleian
Jahan Ara reads and and the Bodleian Sharafnama

Charmoy translates “ morte de mouton”.

(4) Shaki. Charmoy, referring to Mas‘udi, states that this town
was on the left bank of the Kur. In the Habibu’s-siyar I find

Don Juan of Persia (ed. Le Strange) says
Shaki '' stands on the confines of the province of Shirwan and Georgia.”
(p, 145.)

(5) Killd-i-Glldn^ (the key of Gilan) ; exact locality not clear.

(6) Qabalah, mentioned in the Nuzhatu’l-qulub as being near Dar-
band. It is also mentioned in the Haft Iqlim and Zafarnama.

(7) Blqrid ( ). The place is often mentioned in this and other

histories, but its exact locality is not specified, nor am I sure if I have
transliterated correctly. Charmoy (Pastes de la Nation Kurde— transla-

A^SANU’T-TAWARiKH.

223

tion of the Sharafnama) writes Big’irde Brosset writes Bigrit, and
says the place is a citadel near Shamakhi.

(8) Shahr4-naw. I adopt the reading of the Habibu’s-siyar (see
notes on text), which states that the place was on the sea-shore, i.e.
the Caspian.

(9) Malimuddbdd. Mentioned in the Nuzhatu’l-qulub as being on
the Caspian, and having been built by Ghazan Khto.

(10) Khunuslu. Khunus is a canton under Bitlis.

(11) Qdzl Beg, apparently the son of Farrukh Yasar mentioned on
p. 24 as the originator of the Qazi Beg coinage.

(12) GuUstdn. About 30 miles S.E. of Ganja. In Hellert’s map
(French translation of Hammer-Purgstall’s History) Gulistan is shown
as a district between Qara Bagh and Shirwan. Brosset writes pres
de la Zeiva dans le Qara Bagh”. In 1813 a.d. Russians and Persians
met at Zeba near Gulistan, and tRe peace which followed was settled by
the treaty of Gulistan.

(13) Surkhdb, This also is a Shirwan fort the exact locality of which
is not clear, but on the Gilan border.

(14) Shaybak Khdn attacked Samarqand. With this account may be
compared Babur’s narrative (Baburnama, pp. 121-147). There are also
short accounts in the Jahan Ara, Ta’rikh-i-Qipohaqkhani (by Qipchaq
Khan ^urf Khwajam Quli Beg Balkhi, written 1137 a.h. Bodleian MS.
Ouseley, 185), Ta’rikh-i-badi‘a (by a great-grandson of Yar Muhammad
Khan of Astrakhan, Bodleian^^MS. Ouseley, 269), and other histories.

(15) Muhammad Bdqir Tarkhan. The text usually writes Baqir,
though in one or two places it is Baqi. Elsewhere I find Baqi used, e.g.
by theBaburnama, Ta’rikh-i-Qipchaqkhani, by Vambery and others, and
I suppose we should read Baqi. He was the son of Abdu 1- Ali Tarkhan
(see Baburnama, p. 40). For the title Tarkhan see notes on the text.
See also Elias and Ross’ Ta’rikh-i-Rashidi, p. 55, note. Tarkhan— a
very ancient rank, or order of nobility, among the Mongols, Tarkhans
were given nine special prerogatives, e.g. they were exempted from all
taxation : they could enter the palace without permission : booty taken
in war or the chase was their own personal property. See Barthold s
Turkestan (Gibb Mem. Series, Hew series, Vol. V), and the Ta’rikh-i-
JahanGusha, Vol. I, p. 27. Mr, Beveridge suggested that Tarkhan
might be the Etruscan Tarquin. (Vide J.R.A.S., 1917, p. 834 and
subsequent correspondence.)

(16) Shaybak set out for Bukhara. The history here is obscure. The
Ta’rikh-i-Qipchaqkhani says that Shaybak went to Bukhara to raise
troops. Meanwhile Muhammad Baqi Tarkhan left Dabusi for Qarshi,
and it would seem that,* wheSi Shaybak was on his way back to Samar-
qand, the Tarkhan went to Bukhara, where he received some encourage-

224

ahsanu’t-tawabIkh.

ment. This was why, on his return to Bukhara, Shaybak had the town
sacked. Bukhara is the Sanskrit — 4 Buddhist temple.

Amir Muhammad Salih, This appears to be the author of the Shay-
baninama, which Vambery has translated into German. (Muhammad
Salih Khwarazmi.) Vambery thinks Muhammad Salih was killed in
battle about 912 a.h.

(17) Khwdja Yahyd. Khwaja Muhammad Yahya bin Nasiru’d-din
Hazrat Khw^aja ‘TJbaydu’llah Ahrar was the younger of the two sons of
Hazrat Ediwaja Ahrar, a well-known Naqshbandi saint — ^for some account
of whom see Mr. H. Beveridge’s article in J.R.A.S., 1916, p. 59 ; the
saint died 896 a.h., and is buried at Samarqand ; Shaybak Khan was
a follower of his, and ‘ Ubayd Khan was named after him. After Elhwaja
Yahya went to Shaybak Khan, he was told that he might go on a
pilgrimage, and he set out, but was attacked by Uzbeks and killed.
Whether the murder was done und§r Shaybak Khan’s orders, or with
his connivance, is not certain.

The Ta’rikh-i-badi^a definitely says that Khwaja Yahya invited
Babur by a letter.

(18) Kdn4-gil, a meadow two miles east and a little north of the
town” (Samarqand). See Baburnama, p. 81, and note. Timur used
to camp here, and in 799 a.h. he made a palace and garden at the edge
of this meadow. (Zafarnama, Vol. II, p. 6.) His last qmiltay was held
here.

(19) Khwaja Abu^hMakdrim, Mrs. Beveridge says (Baburnama, p. 62,
note), ‘‘ He was not, it would seem, of the Ahrari family. His own had
provided Pontiffs (Shaikhu’l-islam) for Samarkand through 400 years,”

(20) So Babur set out. See the Baburnama, p. 124, etc. for Babur’s
account of all these events in which he took part.

(21) Dlddr — “ Khwaja Didar ” in the Baburnama, e.g. p. 147. It
was near Samarqand.

(22) Hamza Sultan was a son of the Uzbek Chief Bakhtiyar Sultan,
who was killed in one of Abu’l-Khayr’s battles.

Bdql Sultan. I cannot keep thinking this to be a copyist’s error for
Mahdi Sultan, who appears to have been Hamza Sultan’s brother. The
two are always mentioned together. Babur says ‘‘ Hamza Sultan and
Mahdi Sultan were lying near the fort, in the Quail-reserve ” (p. 131,
Baburnama).

(23) The hunting ground — Persian jjy (Quruq) meadow or hunting
reserve, of which there w^ere several round Samarqand — ^Kto-i-gil being
one. This Quruq must be Babur’s “ Quail-reserve.”

(24) Jujlya Kdrawdn. This may possibly be the place called Khw§;ja
Kardzan in the Baburnama (p. 138). ^'or a description of the battle
(of Sar-i-pul) see the Baburnama (pp. 138-141),

AHSANU’T-TAWAEiKH.

227

(25) His two uncles, Kuchu Yahya, better known as Kuci^
Kuchunji, or Kuchum Khan, and Sunjuk Snltan, were sons of Rab* ^
daughter of Ulugh Beg bin Shah Rukh : there was also another son Aq
Burun. Qipchaq Khan says that Shaybak gave Turkistan to Kuchum,
Tashkand to Sunjuk, Bukhara to his brother Mahmud, Andijan to Jani
Beg, Shahrukhiyya to Amir Wafadar, Samarqand to Ahmad Sultan,
Shadman to Hamza Sultto, Tirmiz to Muhammad Sultan, Baghlan to
Sayyid ' Ashiq, Qunduz to ‘ Umar Beg.

(26) Pul-i-sangln (stone bridge). Not of course, the Pul-i-sangin
over the Surkhab river near Hisar ; it must be a common name ; probably,
in this case, some bridge over the Gurgan river near Astarabad — perhaps
at Aq QaFa, where there is a stone bridge now. (Rabino, Mazandaran
and Astarabad, p. 91). The Chahar Maqala mentions a Pul-i-sangin
near Ghazna.

(27) Shekh ^All Beg, I do not find this person mentioned elsewhere,
unless he is the ^Ali Beg mentioned on p. 51. On p. 47 the Ruler of Yazd
is said to be Murad Beg Bayandur.

(28) Abarquh^d, district and town between Shiraz and Yazd. Williams
Jackson (Persia, Past and Present, p. 341), says it is commonly called
Barkuh, as if the name meant ‘‘on the mountain See also Le
Strange, Lands of the Eastern Caliphate, p. 284.

(29) is a village some 20 miles N.E. of Mashhad-i-Murghab
in Ears. Vide Le Strange’s note on p. 121 of his translation of the
Nuzhatul-qulub.

(30) Bazar, mentioned by Hamdullah Mustawfi as a medium sized
town in longitude 95' and latitude 36' 40\ Le Strange says it does not
appear to be mentioned other geographers.

(31) Farrukh Yasdr, Shirwanshah — — gives 873 a.h.
as the date of Earrukh Yasar’s accession. So does

which is the chronogram in the verses quoted in the Rauzatul-safa,
the Akhlaq-i-Jalali, and, with slight modification, the Sharafnama, and
given by Browne (Vol. Ill, p. 389). This makes his reign 33 years, not
37 as here stated. His treachery towards Sultan Abu Sa^id is mentioned
by most writers. Thus in the Rauzatul-jannat of Mu^inu’d-din Muham-
mad (written in 897 a.h. and dedicated to Sultan Husayn) we have : —

jisS

The Sharafnama says that, w^en Abu Sa'id was seven farsakhs from
Qara Bagh, scarcity of food made him decide to go to Qara Aghach
and Mahmudabad, so that the Shirwan King, who pretended loyalty,
could help him. Khwandamir’s IOiula§atuT-akhbar says : U

224

ahsanu’t-tawaeikh.

.y" cJa^ Farr-ukh Yasar

in^was the cause of the death of both Junayd and Haydar — Isma^iFs
grandfather and father. Vide Browne, Vol. IV, pp. 47, 48.

(32) Qdn Begl money. The Bodleian MS. of the Jahan Ara writes
Ghazi Beg, and there is the same confusion between and ^ 31 ^ in
the MSS. regarding the name of a later ruler of Elhwarazm. In Andre
Dauber-Deslandes’ ‘'Beauties of Persia” (Translation for the Persia
Society, p. 7) I find : — The copper coins are (c. 1673 A. n.) the Kasbek
which is worth nearly two Hards, and the haH Kasbek ”, i.e. a farthing
and half a farthing. Poole (Coins of the Shahs of Persia, Introduction,
p. LXI) quotes Hanway’s tables, in which the ‘ Kasbegi ’ is given as

of a Shahi, which was a silver coin 18 grains in weight. The Kasbegi
was also current in Georgia (vide Brosset, Histoire de Georgie, Intro-
duction), together with two, three, and four Kasbegi pieces. Brosset
makes it, like Hanway, y^^th Shahi. The Qaz bek is stated to have been
current, and to have been worth five'iiinars, in the time of Shah ‘Abbas ;
the Qaz is said to be still current in Gilan at the value given by Brosset
and Hanway (Ganj-i-Shayagan, Berlin Kawa Press, 1335 a.h., pp. 173,
174).

(33) 'All Shir (Nizamu’d-din Mir ‘Ali Shir Nawal). See Browne,
Vol. Ill, pp. 505, 506 ; and elsewhere. Dawiatshah has a long notice of
this famous man (p. 494, et seq. of Browne’s edition of the text), with
a Hst of his pious foundations, etc. Nawa’i is usually said to be his pen-
name. If derived from a place, ISFawa is a district of Tabaristan under
Lahijan. Nawa is also a Mughal tribe. Vide the word in the Parhang-
i-Nasiri. When “writing Persian poetry ^Ali Shir’s pen-name w^as Pana'i.
To bend the knee nine times was the salulfe to the Moghul rulers ; see
Zafarnama, Vol. I, p. 97 : —

A) jb J

(34) Amir Darwlsh Muhammad Tarkhan. See Baburnama, p. 38.

Amir Ahmad Hdjl. Ditto. “ Mir ‘Ali Sher Nawa’i, when he went

from Hiri to Samarkand, was with Ahmad Haji Beg, but he went back
to Hiri when SI. Husain Mirza became supreme (873 a.h.).”

(35) Khwdja Mujiddu^d-din. I do not find mention of this person
elsewhere.

(36) Khwdja Shihdbu'd-dln 'Abdu’l-baqi bin Sayyid Ediwaja
Shamsu’d-din Muhammad Marwarid was Sadr of Sultan Husayn ; accord-
ing to the Habibu’s-siyar he retired after the Sultan’s death, and died in
922 A.H. Amini wrote a dirge on his death, ending : —

(922 A.H.) ijbS cIa} 1 jjl fjd

(37) Khwdja 'Abdullah (Marwarid). The Khwaja’s name is to
be found in most Tagkiras, e.g. the Sg^fina. See Baburnama, p. 278,
He was “ a highly accomplished man ; he was an expert performer on

AHSANU’T-TAWAEiKH.

227

the dulcimer, a fine calligraphist, and a charming poet. But vicious and
shameless he became the captive of a sinful disease through his vicious
excesses, outlived his hands and feet, tasted the agonies of torture for
several years, and departed from the world under that affliction”
(Edwardes’ Babur, p. 98). He left two sons, Khwaja ^Abdu’l-mumin,
a well-known calligraphist, and Ediwaja Muhammad Mumin, who became
tutor to Sam Mirza (Habibu’s-siyar). The Ahsan follows the Habibu’s-
siyar and Sam Mirza in putting the date of Khwaja ^Abdullah’s death as
922 A.H. ; Mr. Beveridge (J.R.A.S., 1901, p. 170) considered this a
mistake for 932 a.h.

907 A.H.

(1) Nahhchiwdn. The name of this town is supposed to mean
‘‘ Noah’s first station ” — after descending from Ararat. See Jackson,
Persia Past and Present, p. 22 ; and Bastwick, Journal of a Diplomate’s
three years’ residence in Persia, '•p. 166.

(2) Pin Beg Qdjdr is mentioned in the Habibu’s-siyar as the Chief
who came to Shekh Haydar in Shirwan to warn him that Ya'qub had
sent Sulayman Beg to aid Farrukh Yasar.

(3) His Majesty ioolc his place in the Royal Capital . Except this,
and the statement made later on that Isma'il reigned 24 years, there is
no mention of Isma'il’s actual accession. The matter is discussed by R. S.
Poole in The Coins of the Shahs of Persia ”, Introduction, p. XXIII.
It was in 906 a.h. that Isma'il appointed his chief officers. And the
establishment of the Shi'a faith was in 906 a.h., according to the chrono-
gram attributed by the Sharafnama to Mawlana Idris of Bitlis (but by
others to the Mujtahid Shekh 'Ali ‘Abdu’l 'Ali), viz. :

Poole, however, quoting Rieu, writes : “ The Jahan Ara, Lubbu’t-tawa-
rikh, Tarikh-i-Elchi, Alam Arai, all agree that the actual julus, with
Khutba and Sikka, took place at Tabriz, immediately after the battle

of Shorur. That battle took place in the early spring a.h. 907

The Habibu’s-siyar stands alone in speaking of a julus in 906.” But
the Habibu’s-siyar expressly mentions the julus after the battle of
Shurur. This is quite clear.

(4) Sultan Tughrul Beg was the Saljuq Sultan who made himself
lieutenant of the 'Abbasid Khalifa of Baghdad. In 450 a.h. Arslan
al-Basasiri, a Turkish general of the Baghdad troops with head-
quarters near Mawsil, revolted against the KKalifa, Al-Qa’im, and ex-
pelled him from Baghdad, and had the ELhutba read in the name of the
Fatimid al-Mustan§ir. Tughrul Beg attacked and slew Al-Basasiri, and
reinstated the 'Abbasid in Baghdad. See O’Leary’s Fatimid Khalifate,
p. 201 ; also the Rahatu’§-^udur (Gibb. Mem. Series, Vol. II, New
Series, p. 107).

228

AHSANU’T-TAWABiKH.

(5) Shehh Jamalu'd-din, i.e. Jamalu’d-din Abu Mansur-al-Hasani
bin Yusuf bin ‘Ali bin al-Mutahhar al-Hilli (b. 648, d. 726 a.h.) vide
Bieu, Supplement to the Arabic MSS. in the British Museum, p. 212.

(6) Mnzd niugh Beg bin Sultan Abu Sa‘id is not, of course, to be
confused with the better known Ulugh Beg, son of Shah Bukh and
grandson of Timur. This Ulugh ruled in Kabul, from which his son,
'Abdu’r-razzaq , was ejected by Amir Zu’n-nun’s son.

908 A.H-

(1) Aiojdn, The town is near Tabriz ; the Ilkhans used to winter
here or at Baghdad. Timur visited the place ; Qara Yusuf died there ;
Ghazan rebuilt it, and supplied it with markets.

(2) Tirmid, or Tirmiz (Tirmidh) on the Oxus between Balkh and
flisar.

(3) Amir Bdql ChagJidnldnl was younger brother of Khusraw Shah.

(4) Ndsir and Mansur Turkrmns. I cannot find any further
mention of these persons. Possibly they were Chiefs attached to Alwand
Beg, and their opposition was a last effort of the White Sheep Turkmans.

(5) Mawldnd J aidin' d-dln Dawwdnl. The works cited are by no
means all that were written by this prolific writer and philosopher. The
best known is, of course, the Akhlaq-i-Jalali which is largely based on
the Akhlaq-i-Na§iri of Nasiru’d-din Tusi. The Haft Iqlim says that
Jalal was taken to Herat by Sultan Abu Sa'id. Dawwan is a village
2J leagues north of Kazarun.

So many of the philosophers mentioned in this and similar works
wrote commentaries on the Tajrid, Mawaqif, etc. that a few words
will not be out of place regarding these works.

Tajnc^u’l-'aqa’id is a work on scholastic philosophy and its prin-
ciples by Nasiru’d-din Tusi — ^for whom see Browne, Vol. II, p. 484.
The best known commentary is that of ‘Ala’u’d-din ‘Ali Qushji.

Matdli ^ — ^probably iu.^sajf ^ by Qazi Siraju’d-

din Mahmud bin ‘All Baqr al-Urmawi (d. 689 a.h.).

IshdUi-wajih (by Dawwani, and other writers) on metaphysics ;
the Proof of the Necessarily Existing, i.e. God, who is WajibuT-wujud
as distinguished from man, who is Mumkinu’l-wujud. (See the introduc-
tion to the Chahar Maqala.)

Tawdli‘ j JjyJUt ^[^ ) by Shekh Najmu’d-din al-Kubra

(d. 617 A.H.).

^TaM^ul-mantiq w^a’l-kalam, on logic and dogma, by Sa‘du’d-din
Mas'ud bin ‘Umar al-Taftazani (d. 792 A.H.).

Mawaqif ( ^KJt ^ ), on scholastic philosophy, by ‘Azudu’d-

din ‘Abdu’r-rahman bin Ahmad al-Iji (d. 756 a.h.). A well-known
commentary is by ‘Ali bin Muhamm^da’s-sayyida’sh-shariful-Jurjtoi
(d. 816 A.H.). The Mawaqif was dedicated to Ghiyasu ’d-din son of

AHSANXJ^T-TAWlRtKH. 229

the author of the Jami'u’t-tawarikh, as was also Hamdullah Mustawfi’s
Ta’rikh-i-guzida.

Kuhrd, (Al-kubra fi’l-mantiq) by al-Jurjani — a work on logic.

Kdfiya, a work on Arabic syntax by Ibnu’l-Hajib (d. 646 a.h.).

Shdfiya, an et 3 ?inological treatise — a supplement to the above —
by Ibnul-Hajib.

Alfiyya, a treatise on grammar in verse by Ibnu’l-Malik (d. 672
A.H.), published with a commentary by Silvestre de Sacy.

Mufasml, a treatise on grammar by Az-Zamakhshari (d. 538 a.h.).

Shamsiyya, a manual on logic, by Najmu’d-din 'Ali bin ‘Umar
al-Katibi al-Qazwini (died 693 a.h.), and dedicated to Hulagu’s Wazir
Shamsu’d-din Muhammad al-Juwa 3 mi.

Shama'U, a work on the traditions by Abu ‘Isa Muhammad al-Tirmidhi
(d. 892 A.H.).

Fard'lz — probably Jawahiru’J-fara’iz by I^asiru’d-din Tusi, on the
laws of inheritance.

Zawrd, the name of the bend of the Tigris at Baghdad ; used meta-
phorically to indicate theological doctrine.

QawdHd, rules laid down by the Shi‘a divine, Shekh Shamsu’d-din
Muhammad (known as Shahid-i-awwal — the first martyr, killed 786
A.H.), also by Jamalu’d-din [vide note on 907 a.h.

(5)].

It may be remarked that Ibnul Hajib and others “ considered
grammar as merely subsidiary to the elucidation of legal propositions ”
(Howell, Arabic Grammar).

The description of the writing of the Bisala-i-Zawra is almost in
the very words of Khwandamir’s Habibu’s-siyar ; this being one of the
instances which show Hasan-i-Rumlu’s indebtedness to Khwandamir : —

^ Ojyx

h ^ OsX-waU/o ^ aJLcj ^J.j| y

909 A.H. ^

(1) Juyum, or Guyum (some 20 miles N.W. of Shiraz), was the
capital of the old province of Irahistto in Ears (vide Le Strange’s Nu-
zhatu’l-qulub, p. 124, note). It is said (by one who visited it in 1902)
to be now a flourishing village of 1,000 inhabitants.

(2) The plain of Arzan — on the Shiraz-Bushire road. See Curzon’s
Persia, Vol. II, p. 200.

(3) Disposing of its affairs. It appears that in fact there were some
cruel executions of Sunnis at Shiraz.

230

ASSANTJ^T-TAWARIKH.

(4) Ilids Beg, This Ilias Beg must not be confused with Ilias Beg
Zul-Qadar, known as Kachal Beg, who had just been appointed Governor
of Shiraz (Jahan Ara) — a governorship which remained in his family,
as the Sharafnama says, for fifty years.

Husayn Klyd bin ‘Ali bin Lubrasp Chulawi is mentioned among the
petty rulers of parts of Mazandaran by Rabino (Mazandaran and
Astarabad, p. 141), but with no details. Chulaw, or Chulab, is a district
of Mazandaran, N.W. from Mt. Damavand.

Bustamddr, See Rabino ’s Mazandaran and Astarabad, p. 26.
The rulers of Rustamdar were known as Gawbara, because, says the
Jahan Ara, the first of the line went to spy out the country, and :

Khwar Shah says that in
Isma'iFs time there were two Chiefs, descended, as they said, from the
ancient kings of Persia — Malik Kaus Kuchu and Malik Bahman of Nur.

(5) Wardmln, a fort under Ray (Nuzhatu’l-qulub, Le Strange’s

translation, p. 61). •

(6) Mui^ammad Husayn Mlrzd — being at variance with his father
(Sharafnama).

(7) Murad Beg Jahdnshdhlu, According to the Jahan Ara, this man

was captured with Husayn Kiya and was burnt ( ) —

which statement is accepted by the ^5lam-Aray-i-^Abbasi. Qipchaq
Khan says that Husayn Kiya was burnt, and the Ghazis ate his flesh.
6ul-i-Elhandan and Usta are not shown in the map, but they were on,
or close to, the Habla Rud (spelt variously JL^ and JUa ).

(8) SdwuJch Buldgh (cold fountain) near Ray. The Nuzhatu’l-
qulub (Le Strange’s translation, p. 68) says this place was, in Saljuq
times, tributary to Bay.

(9) Kahud Oumbad, or Blue Dome, is Ray, some 20 miles E. of
Tehran. There are other places of this name in Persia ; certainly there

appears to be one near Kalat-i-Nadiri Jl^Lo p. 45).

(10) Ardasand, Ustanddiq, I am not suire if the reading of these
names is correct, nor of their exact locality.

(11) Kharqdn, There appears to be some doubt as to this place.
Charmoy says it is a district and range of hiUs twelve leagues north of
Qazwin. According to the Ta’rikh-i-guzida Kharraqan was one of the
districts under Qazwin. In the Rahatu’§-§udur (p. 297 of Muhammad
Iqbal’s edition, Gibb. New Series, Vol. II) Kharraqan is clearly near
Ray. The Magnawi (Book IV, 1. 1814, Nicholson’s edition) has :

j (S> other hand the Kharraq§/n of theNuzha-

tu’l-qulub lies in the country between Qazwin and Hamadan. And in
Sidi Reis’ Travels, by Vambery, p. 101, ‘‘ Kirkan ” is clearly between
Abhar and Darjuzin. The Habibu’s-siyar yrrites ‘‘ Elharqan-i-Sultaniyya,”
thus fixing Kharqan (or Kharraqan) as being under Sultaniyya. In the

A?SANTT’T-TAWaEiKH.

231

recently published (J,^kxi is the following : is^h^

^J^AAst [Jy^ <Sj3 ^ LS^J^

^ And I think this is Shah Isma'irs Kharqan.

(12) Surluq — like Kharqan, a favourite summer resort of the Safawi
kings — appears to be near Sultaniyya. The Jahan Ara writes Surluq
of Sultaniyya”.

(13) The siege of Balkh by Shayhah Khan, There is nothing about
this unsuccessful attack on Balkh in the Baburnama, as there is a lacuna
here in the text. It is however mentioned by the Ta’rikh-i-Rashidi
(Elias and Boss, p. 164). Balkh was captured three years later by
Shaybak Khto. With reference to this Qipchaq Khan gives a chrono-
gram, which yields the date 909 a.h. — the date of the unsuccessful
attack. The verses are : —

A^iCSRi/O

^ — u j

(14) The ford of Kuhl. I should like to read Karla, but the MSS.
plainly say Kuki, which place I do not know.

(15) 8dn and Chdryah, Shown as Sanchairak in Curzon’s map ;
near Shiburghan ; called San and Harek by Howorth. See Mrs.
Beveridge’s note in Baburnama, p. 295. Sayyid IzzatuUah, who explored
this region in 1812, calls the place Sunchayuruk (Sanchayarak).

910 A.H.

(1) Shu^ayb Aghd, The Jahan Ara calls this person v-.^^ >

(2) At Isfahan. The Jahan Ara says that Karra killed himself
on the way to Isfahan, and his body was burnt there together with all
his retainers ( ).

(3) Amir KamaWd-dln Eusayn Sadr. See Baburnama, p. 280.
He became Sadr in 904 a.h. ; he was also sent as an envoy by Sultan
Husayn to Shaybak Khan. He is called Abiwardi in the Habibu’s-
siyar, and a story is told of his being sent by 'Ali Shir to Sultan Ya‘qub,
and told to take a copy of the KuUiyat of Jami as a present. He took
another book, which resembled it in size and binding, and this mistake
and his subsequent pretence lost him his reputation with the Minister.

(4) Malpmnd Sultan — marched on Qunduz. This comes into the
lacuna in the Baburnama mentioned above. See, however, the Ta’rikh-
i-Bashidi (Ehas and Boss), pp. 169, 170. Shaybak Khan himself was

besieging Hi§ar (Shadman). ''He sent a mandate to Mahamed Sultan,

ordering him to take as many men from the army as he wanted, and
to advance on Kunduz.” Mahmud Sultan died at Qunduz.

(5) The capture of Kdbul^by Bdhur. See Baburnama, p. 196, et seq.,
Ta’rikh-i-Basliidi, p. 177. Khusraw Shah having fled from Qunduz,

232

ahsanti’t-tawarikh.

paid his respects to Babur in the latter’s camp ; large numbers of his men
had already joined Babur. Muhammad Muqim was allowed to go to
Qandahar, with all his effects and followers.

(6) The Jahdndrdy Garden in Herat was made by Timur. (Khwan-
damir’s Khulasatu’l-akhbar.)

(7) Kdr Kiyd Sultdn Hasan. It is clear that the name should
be Hasan. Rabino (J.R.A.S., 1918, p. 90) states that Hasan was mur-
dered by his brother ‘Ali who himself was killed the next day by the
followers of his victim”. Khwar Shah, who wrote the Ta’rikh-i-Elchi-i-
Nizamshah (Schefer, Chrestomathie Persane, Vol. II), says Hasan was
killed by persons supposed to have been instigated by ^Ali, and his
partisans in return killed ‘Ali. ‘Ali is described as a religious man but
still, I suppose, he may have murdered his brother.

(8) Alwand. The Habibu’s-siyar says that when Qasim Beg, the
Bayandur Chief, arose Alwand went#to Diyarbakr where he fell ill and
died- Another tale is that he was captured and killed by Shah Isma'il
— see Browne, Vol. IV, p. 62. The Lubbu’t-tawarikh supports the
Ahsan and Habibu’s-siyar.

911 A-H,

(1) Amvr Husdmu^d-dm was the Ruler of Biya Pas, and an enemy
of the Biya Pish Eang, Sultan Ahmad, who had just succeeded his father
Sultan Hasan. Shah Isma‘il sent envoys requesting him to make peace.
His refusal led to the expedition against him. It was decided that
Husamu’d-din should receive Kiichisfan from Biya Pish. For these
and other details see H. L. Rabino’s Article J.R.A.S., 1918, p. 95.
Husamu’d-din was the second son of Amira Ishaq — for whom see note
(7) under 900 a.h.

(2) Maymana and Fdrydb. These towns are again mentioned
together on p. 91, as the farthest points reached by Isma'il after his
defeat of Shaybak Khan. Faryab, near Balkh, is to be distinguished
from Farab (Utrar) in Turkistan near the Sihun river. For Maymana
see Vambery’s Life, p. 251, and Le Strange, Lands of the Eastern
Caliphate, p. 425.

(3) Muhammad Qasim Mlrzd — ^presumably son of Sultan Husayn.

(4) Amir Shlram Jaldir, perhaps the person called Shiram Chahra,
p. 169, Ta’rikh-i-Rashidi — a dependent of Khusraw Shah.

(5) Bdbd Jdn — possibly the Amir Baba 'Ali of pp. 14, 27, and Babur-
nama, p. 278.

(6) Bdbd Ildhl, in the Badghis district.

(7) Qurchlbdshl. For qurchi ” see notes on the text. Barthold
translates qurchi (korchi) archers ” (Turkestan, p. 382),

ahsanh’t-tawarikh.

233

(8) Sultan Husayh, This monarch has been dealt with by all
historians from Malcolm to Browne. Babur has a long account of his
Court.

(9) Khadlja Begl Aghd. She was a former mistress of Sultan Abu
Sa'id, and then the wife of Sultan Husayn, by whom she had two sons,
Muzalfar Husayn and Shah Gharib Mirza. Her action at this time
brought about the ruin of Sultan Husayn’s family, and of herself. When
Shaybak Khan took Herat he handed her over to Shah Mansur the
betrayer of Andikhud. (See below.)

912 A.H.

fl) Sdrim Kurd, i.e. Sarim bin Sayfu’d-din Mukri. The Sharaf-
nama says that the Qizilbashes had several fights with this Chief, ending
in the disastrous campaign, in which ‘Abdi Beg bin- Durmish Khan
and Saru ‘All lost their lives. Jl^ater Sarim submitted to Sultan Salim,
and on Sulayman’s accession w^ent to Constantinople.

(2) II Amdn, I do not find II Aman mentioned elsew’here.

(3) Sultan Bdyazld Barlds may be. the Sultan Bayazid of the Babur-
nama, pp. 411, 412.

(4) Babur came to Herat. Babur describes this visit with interesting
details. (Baburnama, p. 300 et seq.)

(5) Kupukl tumdns. Kupuki dinars and tumans are frequently

mentioned as coins or denominations commonly used in Khurasan and
other territories under Turki control. Babur mentions the tuman,
and Dawlatshah says that the cost of maintaining ‘Ali Shir’s charitable
buildings was about Kupuki dinars are mentioned in

the Zafarnama of Sharafu’d-din ‘Ali — ^in which it is the usual standard
of value, e.g. when writing of the sack of Damascus in 803 A.H. (Calc,
Ed., Vol. IT, p. 336). At the sack of Isfahto the price of a head was at
first 20 Kupuki dinars — Plater reduced to half a dinar (Vol. I, p. 434).
And the levy on Shiraz was a thousand Kupuki tumans (Vol. I, p. 437).
Still earlier, in 734 a.h,, a grant of 100,000 Kupuki dinars was made
annually to Mubarizu’d-din Muhammad by the Emperor Abu Sa id,
(Vide Defremery’s article in the Journal Asiatique, Aug. 1844, p. 100.)
I have not been able to discover who the Kupuk was that gave his name
to this coinage — ^perhaps the Chaghatay Kibak Khan (Lane -Poole s
Mohammedan Dynasties, p. 242). Kupuk (Kipuk ?) “ hunch backed ”,

round shouldered ”, was a common nickname. Kupuk Kham is used
as a tribal name in the Zafarntoa (e.g. Vol. II, p. 425, 1. 14). For a
farther discussion see S. H. Hodivala’s Historical Studies in Mughal
Numismatics, p. 187. Professor Hodivala gives reasons for considering
the dinar equal to a gold c?>in weighing 43 grains. It seems probable
that the Kussian ‘‘ Copeck ” is of different origin and derivation.

234

AHSAlSrU^T-TAWARIKH.

(6) Zu^n-nun and Muhammad Bumnduq seem to have advised the
Mirzas differently on several occasions. See Baburnama, p. 326. This
irresolution, as much as anything, spoilt the Mirzas’ plans.

(7) Shaybak Khan had taken Balkh, When Badi^u’z-zaman heard
of his father’s serious illness he left Balkh to Subhan 'Ali Khan Qipchaq
and went to Herat, and Shaybak laid siege to Balkh, and eventually
took it, massacred the inhabitants, razed the city to the ground, and
gave the district to his little son Khurramshah — ^the child of Khan-
zada Begam, Babur’s sister, who had fallen into Shaybak Khan’s hands
when Babur fled from Samarqand in 907 a.h. So the Ta’rikh-i-Qipchaq-
khani, whose author (Qipchaq Khan ^urf Khwajam Quli Beg Balkhi
bin Qipchaq Khan ^urf Imam Quli, Qausbegi of Subhan Quli Kkan Wali
of Turan) was an officer of Amir Subhan 'All’s descendant.

After taldng Balkh, Qipchaq IQian continues, Shaybak Khan re-
turned to Samarqand, repaired the bridge of Amir Shah Malik on the
Zarafshan river, and at the end of tlfe year (912 a.h.) crossed the Oxus
by the Karki ford, received Andikhud from Shah Mansur Bakhshi, and
reached Chihil Dukhtaran in Muharram 913 a.h. Shortly after he
fought the battle at which Amir Zu’n-nun was killed.

913 A.H.

(1) ‘Ald’ud-dawla bin Nasiru’d-din, the head of the Zn’l-Qadar
tribe of Diyarbakr — Herbert’s "Aladeules, the mountainous king” — ^is
dealt with later on. The authorities differ as to the immediate cause
of Isma'il’s campaign against him. According to the Habibu’s-siyar,
Isma‘il heard that Murad had fled to Baghdad and then taken refuge
with ‘Ala’u’d-dawla, who had given him his daughter. The Jahan
Ara states that Ummat Chaushlu, son of Baba Sultan Ustajlu, was sent
by Ismail as an envoy to ‘Ala’u’d-dawla, who put him in prison.
Ismail, owing to a dream, went to secure his release. Khwandamir
goes on to say that ‘Ala’u’d-dawla fled to Albistan and thence to Mt.
Duma (Crane Hill), where he was besieged. A 2n’l-Qadar force opposed
the invaders, and fought a battle lasting three days, and ending in their
defeat and the advance of Ismail to Diyarbakr. This is the statement
to which Hasan-i-Rumlu objects. In this matter the Ta’rikh-i-^Alam
Aray-i-'Abbasi follows the Habibu’s-siyar, but the alleged battle is
not mentioned by the Lubbu’t-tawarikh, Jahan Ara, or Sharafnama.
The Jahan Ara says that Dada Beg, not Lai a Beg, crossed the Jahan
River against orders ( olLsu ). The Sharafnama says that Ismail
set out to conquer Mar'ash, reached the neighbourhood of Qay^ariyya,
advanced to Mt. Duma, took Kiarput, and received the submission of
Amir Beg Maw^ilu. Amir Beg, according to the ’Jahan Ara, took Diyar-
bakr after the death of Alwand. He i% frequently mentioned in this
chronicle till his death in 928 A.H. As for the mock title of Ala.dana,

AHSANXj’T-TAWAIliKH.

235

see notes on the text. The village of Yar Pard is unknown to me ; read-
ings vary, and may possibly be corrupt. The river Jahan, rising near
Albistan, flows into the Gulf of Alexandra.

(2) 8dru Qapaldn, i.e. the Yellow (or fair) Panther.

(3) Qard Amid. See notes on the text. I have adopted Amid
for the Hamid of the text. Por the town see Le Strange, Lands of the
Eastern Caliphate, pp. 108-111.

(4) The war of 8haybak Khan and BadVu' z-zamdn. There is but

little about this in the Ta’rlkh-i-Rashidi, which however gives as a
chronogram ^ from Mir Muhammad Salih. ( alone,

gives 912 A.H.) For Babur’s account see Baburnama, pp. 325-330.

Khayldn and Khatldn. For Khatlan (Ar. ) see Mirza Muhammad
Qazwini’s note on p. 166 of the Chahar Maqala (Gibb Memorial,
Vol. XI). It is a district across the Oxus from Badakhshan. Khaylan
I do not find mentioned in any authority ; I take it, perhaps, to be Khay-
1am which w^as the name of the source of the Sihun (Jaxartes) naw called
the R. Narin, and of the chief town of the district between this river
and the Gulsha river known as Miyan-i-Rudan. See Barthold’s Tur-
kestan, p. 155 (Gibb Memorial, New Series, Vol. V).

(5) Amir 8hdh Mansur Bakhshi. The chronogram given by Qip-

chaq Edian is : ^ j *voT

(6) Amir Zu^n-nun attacked. The scene of the battle was, according
to Qipchaq Khan, Tash Ribat near Chihil Dukhtaran. The Ahsan calls
it, later on, Maral (the Hind). Mrs. Beveridge, quoting Raverty, says

between Belaq-i-maral and Rabat-i-‘ali-sher, near Badghis ” (Babur-
nama, p. 327, note).

(7) Amir JaMlu'd-dln MuTmddis. Probably he is Amir Jalalu’d-

din 'Ata’ullah, a theologian mentioned in the Habibu’s-siyar among the
learned men of Sultan Husayn’s Court. He was the author of a work
styled: iUjj ^^StLo.

^J^Amlr Ohiydsu'd-dln MuT^ammad. See later note on a.h. 927.

(9) For the Shekhu’l-Islam see note on a.h. 916 (15).

Kahadstdn. I have adopted the spelling suggested by Mrs.

Beveridge. See her note, Baburnama, p. 305. It is called by other
authors Elihdastan, Kahdastan, and Kuhdastan — the last by Charmoy,
who says it is a suburb on the east of Herat. The Zafarnama calls at a
meadow ) on the east of Herat.

(10) Turuq, a few miles south of Mashhad, on the Tehran road.

(11) 8alghur 8hdh. During the supremacy of the Salghurid
Afcabeqs of Pars, Hormuz formed one of their subordinate governments.
When that dynasty came to^an end ” (i.e. about 1285 a.d. in Arghun’s
reign) Mahmud Kalhatti, who had been governor of the island,

^36

AHSANTT^T-TAWARIKS.

established himself as prince of Hormuz ” (Howorth, Part III, p. 418).
According to the Jahan Ara Salghur did not die till 971, having succeeded
his father in 913 a.h. He was followed by Muhammad Shah, who died
in 972 A.H., and was succeeded by his son Farrukh Shah. This was the
first attack on Hormuz by Albuc^^uerque. Owing to desertions he had
to return to Sakotra. Next year he returned, but again had to leave, and
went to India where he became Governor. It was not till seven years
later (1515 a.d.) that he was able to complete the conquest of the island.
Vide Sir Arnold Wilson’s Early Spanish and Portuguese Travellers in
Persia (Persia Society publication).

(12) The Ndirndn tribe, Naiman is said to be a Mongol word
meaning * eight ’. Mirza Muhammad Qazwini supposes the tribe to
be the same as that mentioned as Saqiz, one of the Mongol tribes of
Chingiz KJian (Jahangusha, Vol. XVI ; Gibb Memorial Series, p. 26).
Elias and Ross (Ta’rikh-i-Rashidi, p. 93) say that the Uighurs were
composed of at least two confederacies, the Naiman Uighurs and the
Toghuz (nine) Uighurs — ^in which case Naimans were Turks rather than
Mongols. Howorth is clear that they were Turks, and not Mongols.

• (13) Babur came to Qanddhdr — apparently because of Amir Shuja*

Beg’s overtures to the Uzbek Chief. Babur’s account is on pp. 330-339
of the Baburnama. He says that the two brothers — Shuja* Beg (whom
he calls Shah Beg) and Muhammad Muqim— first suggested alliance
against Shaybak Khan ; so he set out for Qandahar. On the way Babur
got letters showing that the Arghun policy had changed. He marched
on, and fought the brothers, and took Qandahar. Regarding the treasure
taken there, Babur writes : — Such masses of white money had never
been seen in those countries.”

(14) Shah Beg, i.e, Amir Shuja‘ bin Amir Zu’n-nun ; the elder
brother of Muhammad Muqim.

(15) Yadgar-i-Muhammad bin Mirza Muhammad bin Mirza Bays-
unqur bin Shah Rukh bin Timur. This Timurid prince was with
Jahanshah of the Black Sheep Turkmans when they were defeated by
Uzun Hasan in 871 a.h. Joining Uzun Hasan he was, in 873 a.h.,
the executioner of Sultan Abu Sa‘id, in revenge for Abu Sapid’s murder
of his great-grandmother, Gohar Shad Begam, the widow of Shah Rukh.
When Sultan Husayn had assumed rule over Herat Yadgar twice opposed
him ; but, in 875 a.h., he was suddenly attacked by Sultan Husayn,
and killed in the Ravens’ Garden at Herat. See Lubbu’t-tawarikh,
Jahan Ara, and especially the Habibu’s-siyar, which has a full account
of Yadgar and his death. Dawlatshah has also details about Yadgar
in his long account of Sultan Husayn’s life.

Yalghuz Yighdch under Khabushan. This village was visited by
Timur, when setting out on his five years <eompaign in Persia in 794 a.h.,
on his way from Abiward to Astarabad. (Zafarnama, Vol. I, p. 569.)

AHSANTj’T-TAWARiElH.

237

(16) Shdl and Mastung — districts of Baluchistan, now Quetta and
south of Quetta.

914 A-H,

(1) And they were approved, ( ). The Jahto Ara says that

Isma il remarked that he would believe Barik sincere, if he came himself ;
and Isma^il set out for Baghdad. Thereupon Barik fled, knowing that
most of the people were Shi'as, and would not support him against the
Shah. Khalil Yasawal was sent to Baghdad to call Barik to obedience

( )•

(2) Khallfatu^l-Khulafd (Khalifa of Khalifas), Many writers say
that this name was given to Khadim Beg, the new Governor of Baghdad,
in derision of the former Khalifas.

(3) Sultan Fayydz Musha^sha'l was the representative of a family
of Shi^a extremists, descended irom Musa al-Kazim and ruling in Hu-
wayza, Dizful, and Shushtar. See Browne, Vol. IV, p. 58. According to
the Habibu’s-siyar Ismail heard that on the death of Sultan Muhsin of
Huwayza his son Fayyaz had succeeded and the Musha^shals attributed
divinity to him. There was a battle, and Fayyaz was killed.

(4) Rustam bin Shah Husayn bin Malik ‘Izzu’d-din died soon
after, and was succeeded by his son Ughuz, who ruled till 940 a.h.,
when his brother Jahangir succeeded him. This Jahangir, who is men-
tioned later, was put to death by Shah Tahmasp in 949 a.h.

(5) At Shiraz — going there by way of Kuh Giluya, according to the
Jahan Ara and Sharafnama.

(6) The flight of Badi'u’z-zamdn. The Ahsan does not give this
prince’s movements after his defeat. Qipchaq Khan says that he fled
to Qandahar and then joined Nasir, Babur’s brother ; he was subsequently
besieged in Hisar, fled to Yazd, was again defeated by an Uzbek force
sent after him, and took refuge with Shah Ismail.

(7) Qunqurdt. The Qunqurats were a Turkish tribe, members
of which frequently married into the. family of the Ilkhans of Persia.
(See Howorth, Part II, pp. 278, 388, and elsewhere.) There were ‘'six
tribes who formed a confederacy under the name of Kunkurat. They
were of Turki origin, and inhabited the north of Mongolia ” (Elias’
Ta’rikh-i-Kashldi, p. 16, note). The MSS. spell the word variously.

(8) Yaqa Turkmans, the Turkmans of the coast, i.e. south-east of
the Caspian.

(9) Rddkdn, For a description and history of Eadkan, see Yate’s
Khurasan and Sistan, p. 362. It is shown on Curzon’s map haK way
between Mashhad and Quc^ltn (Khabushan). It was the birth-place of
Nizamu’l-mulk, the famous Wazir of Malikshah the Saljuq.

238

AHSANTj’T-TAWARiKH.

915 A.H.

(1) Shdbirdn. ‘‘ Ville du district d’Erran — a 20 farsakhs environ

de Derbend et a trois joumees de Schirwan ’’ (Barbier de Meynard,

p. 338). It is mentioned in the Zafarnama (Vol. I, p. 782).

(2) Darband, in the north of Shirwan on the Caspian Sea ; known
also as Babu’l-abwab. See Nuzhatu’l-qulub, Le Strange’s translation,
p. 93.

(3) Tabarsardn. Barbier de Meynard (Diet, geographique) quoting
Al-Mukri’s Tuhfatul-albab says that it is the name of a tribe (nation)
living on the frontiers of Darband. In Hellert’s map it is shown as
about ten miles north of the Kur river, not far from its (former) junction
with the Aras.

(4) Bil Turdb, i.e. ^Ali, the Prophet’s nephew and son-in-law.

(5) Hazara and Nikudarl tribes. See Ta’rikh-i-Ra,shidi, Introduction,
p. 80. The Hazaras of Afghanistan ^.re said still to be ‘‘ Mongo] in fea-
ture, and to be descended from the remnants of the army of Nikudar
Oghlan, a son of Hulaku, who invaded the region in which they dwell
now, about the latter half of the thirteenth century It may be noted
that the name here is clearly Nikudari, not Takudari. The Nikildar
referred to is said (see Browne, Vol. Ill, p. 26) to be more correctly called
Takudar : he succeeded Abaqa and was the first llkhan to be converted
to Islam as Sultan Ahmad. As a child he was baptized with the name
of Nicholas. (See the quotation from Haithon given by Blochet, Gibb
Mem. Series, Vol. XII, p. 229, and Malcolm’s History of Persia, Vol. I,
p, 427). Chaghatay also had a son called Nikudar. Other accounts
say the Hazaras were descendants of military colonists introduced by
Chingiz Khan,

(6) Qdfb* Muhammad Kdshdnl. According to the Habibu’s-siyar
Qazi Muhammad accused Najmu’d-din of taking bribes. Ismail told
Najmu’d-din of these charges and handed Qazi Muhammad over to him,
with the result that he was put to death, and Amir Sharifu’d-din (who
was a descendant of Amir Sayyid Sharif Jurjani) was made Sadr in his
place. The Jahan Ara merely states that Qazi Muhammad had also
incurred the enmity of Amir Najm, which was an additional reason
for his disgrace.

(7) The fort of Kaldt. For Kalat and its history, see the detailed
account in Curzon’s Persia, Vol. I, pp. 126-140. See also Le Strange,
Lands of the Eastern CaHphate, p. 395.

916 A.H.

(1) Bent Ismd'U a letter. The Jahan Ara says that Ismail sent a
message to Shaybak Khan calling on hiiqgL to desist from his evil ways,
and that Shaybak KJaan sent a rough reply by Amir Kamalu’d-din Husayn

AHSANTl’T-TAWABiKH.

239

of Abiward. The Ta’rikh-i-'Alam-Aray-i-'Abbasi says that Shaybak
wrote to Isma^Il saying that he was going to Mecca, and w^ould meet
the Shah in Traq or Azarbayjan. The Shah replied that he also was
going on a pilgrimage, and would meet Shaybak at Mashhad. So,
when Isma'il could not get at Shaybak Khan at Marv, he sent to him,
saying that he had fulfilled his promise to come to Mashhad, but Shaybak
had broken his. Certain events obliged him to return to Azarbayjan ;
perhaps Shaybak would now carry out his promise and come and meet
him there. The Ta’rikh-i-Rasliidi gives a more entertaining account
of this correspondence (pp. 232, 233).

(2) Qand4-Bdddm. So, and Qayd, in the MSS. Tt must be
Kand-i-badam near Ediujand. Its exact distance from Khujand appears
doubtful. Babur says it was five or six yighach (leagues) east of Khu-
jand (Baburnama, p. 8). Le Strange (Lands of the Eastern Caliphate,
p. 479) says it was an outer suburb of Kand, itself a suburb of Khujand,
one league south. The present Kand-i-badam (or Kan-i-badam) is
forty miles (Barthold, Turkestan, p. 157) from Khujand. Schuyler (Turk-
istan, Vol. IT, p. 3, and map in Vol. I) makes it about 45 miles east
of Khujand, and 32 S.W. of Khokand. Kand=village. Sayrdn — see
below, note (12) ; Sayrdm, note (12).

(3) The battle. The date, according to this account (also the Sharaf-
nama and the Habibu’s-siyar) was Friday, 1 Ramazan ; Isma'il left Marv
on his feigned flight on Wednesday, 28 Sha^ban. The Jahan Ara says
Isma'il left Marv Thursday, 27 Sha'ban ; the Lubbu't-tawMkh makes
Shaybak Khan leave Marv, and be defeated, Friday, 26 Sha'ban. The
Ta’rikh-i-Qipchaqkhani says it was “in Ramazan’’. The Ta’rikh-i-
Rashidi says on the Ruz-i-Shak of Ramazan ”, i.e. the day when it
was doubtful whether it was Sha'ban or Ramazan. Thus Mrs. Beveridge
(Baburnama, p. 350) accepts 29 Sha'ban — ^Friday, December 2nd, 1510

A.B.

(4) With a vast host. 15,000 according to the Jahan Ara ; 20,000
in the Ta’rikh-i-Rashldi.

(5) The Ohdzls came round about it. The Jahan Ara says that
Burun Sultan Takalu was the leading Chief in this attack.

(6) Mdmush. The MSS. have Mamush and Naniish ; the meaning
is unknown to me.

(7) Marched on Herdt. After the battle Isma!ii caused Fathnamas
to be sent out. That for Herat was taken by one Quli Beg, an ofiflcer
under Najm-i-8ani. Quli Beg was met outside Herat by the leading
men. There was a riot, in which nearly one hundred persons were
killed. Quli Beg tken entered the city, delivered the Fathnama, and
went to the Jami‘ Masjid. the mosque Raflz Zaynu’d-din refused
to curse the first Khalifas, and was shot by Quli Beg. Later, Amir

240

AHSANU’T-TAW ARIKH.

Najm-i-Sani and Khwaja Kamalu’d^din Mahmud arrived, and still later
the Shah. Ismail held a great Darbar, receiving pishkash from his officers
and others, all of which he divided among the qurchis. (Habibu’s-
siyar).

(8) II Pars Khan, This Chief was descended from the Fulad
tJghalan, whose name we find in Shaybak Khan’s pedigree (grandfather
of Abu’l-Khayr). His father was Adrafa bin Yadgar (see genealogical
tree). The Jahan Ara says he gave Khwarazm to Kupuk Beg Qushji
as Darogha. Il Pars died in 923 a.h. For further history of Khwarazm,
see note on a.h. 944 (7).

(9) Khan Mlrzd was a double cousin of Babur ; their fathers were
brothers, and their mothers sisters. — ^Mahmud and 'Umar Shekh, sons
of Sultan Abu Said, and Sultan Nigar and Qutluq Nigar, daughters of
Yunus Khan.

(10) Kuy. The Sharafnama and other histories, followed by
Hammer-Purgstall, say the fight was'^at Chorli (Tzurulum) near Durazzo.
Among the places enumerated as taken by Sultan Murad (p. 200 of
this Chronicle) we have Sultan Kuyi, which is probably Chorli. If this
be so, Kuy may be correct and be another name for Chorli.

(11) Shaybak Khan (Abu’l-fath Muhammad Khan Shaybani).
From a comparison of various MSS. of the Ahsan, Jahan Ara, and
Sharafnama, I think that Taghtay should be Buqiya. Shaybak’s
descent is given in the Jahan Ara and Sharafnama in the same way as
in the Ahsan. Up to Fiilad all authors agree, and also Shay ban bin Juji
bin Chingiz Khan. Between Fulad and Shaybto there is disagreement.
The Ta’rikh-i-Qipchaqkhtoi ’ re^ds : — Fulad bin Manak Timur bin
Aydal tJghalan bin Juji Buqa Khan bin Pisiiqa Baynal Bahadur bin
Shayban. The Ta’rikh-i-badi‘a has : — Pulad bin Mangu Timur bin
Yadawal bin Juji Buqa bin Bahadur bin Shaybto. Howorth : — Fulad
bin IVIing Timur bin Badakul bin Juji Buqa bin Bahadur bin Shayban.
Lane-Poole : — Pulad bin Mangu Timur bin Badakul bin Juji Buqa bin
Bahadur bin Shayban. The Ahsan, Jahan Ara, and Sharafnama, have : —
Fulad bin Ayba Khwaja bin Buquja bin Balaghan bin Shayban. They
therefore omit a person variously called in the rest Aydal, Yadawal,
Badakul — supposing that Ayba Khwaja is another name for Mangu
Timur. The Habibu’s-siyar and Lubbu’t-tawarikh do not give the
genealogy in full. For the history, of Qasim Khan consult Howorth,
Part II, Division II, Ch. IX. Buraq of the White Horde had, he says,
two sons, Giray and Jani Beg, Paranduq was the son of Giray, and
Iranji the son of Janl Beg and brother of Qasim. The Ahsan, however,
makes Qasim son of Saydak Khto bin Jani Beg. (See below under
929 A.H.). When Shaybak was defeated by Qasim, not long before his
death, Paranduq was still de jure ruler ^»f the Plain, but the real power
was in the hands of Qasim. Paranduq was eventually expelled by

A^SANTj’T-TAWSRiKH. 241

Qasim and died in exile at Samarqand. How Iranji was supplanted
by Qasim is not clear.

Qipchaq Khan says that Abu’l-Khayr nicknamed his grandson
Shah Bakht, which may be the origin of the name Shaybak, rather
than Shahi Beg. He was born in 855 a.h. Abu’l-Khayr died in 873
or 874 A.H.

Quzi Begam is mentioned in several histories as the mother of
Shaybak Khan. The Ta’rikh-i-Qipchaqkhani says Shaybak’s father,
Shah Budaq, married the daughter of the King of Khatay — ^presumably
Qtizi Begam.

(12) Sayrdn is mentioned several times in the Zafarnama as near
Sighnaq, Yasi, Qarachiiq, and Utrar. In the usual geographical autho-
rities available I do not find it mentioned. Instead of Sayran in some
places the MSS. of the Ahsan read Sabran which seems to me to be the
same place. Sabran, or Sawran^ is dealt with by Barthold (Turkestan,
p. 177), and the traveller P. Lerch says it was 50 versts (35 miles) north
of the present city of Turkestan (Russian Turkestan, 1872, p. 5 of the
translation made for the Indian Government). It is shovm on the map
made by General Walker from British and Russian surveys and published
by the Government of India about 67® 50' E. by 43® 10' N. See, also,
Schuyler’s Turkistan, Vol. I, p. 68, and map after p. 355. Sayran must
be distinguished from Sayram — ^formerly Isbijab — shown in the above
map about 69® 45' E. by 42® 20' N., and 8 miles east of Ohimkind. Utrar
was a few miles east of the Jaxartes — 76 legal farsakhs from Samarqand
(Zafarnama, Vol. II, p. 653). Here were murdered the Mongol mer-
chants — an outrage which launched Chingiz Khan against the Moslem
world. Here, later (807 a.h.), died Timur. Utrar — or Utrar — was
formerly known as Earab (Lands of the Eastern Caliphate, p. 485).

(13) 'Ahdu'VAll Tarkhan. He was the father of the Muhammad
Baqi Tarkhan who was defeated by Shaybak Khan at Dabusi. See
Baburnama, p. 38. Babur writes : — “ This same ‘Abdu’l-‘Ali Tarkhan
was the cause of Shaibani Khan’s ris^ to such a height and of the down-
fall of such ancient dynasties”.

(14) Mir 'Ahdu'l-harlm. See note on a.h. 924 (1).

(15) The Shekhu'l-Isldm of Herat. This was Earidu’d-din Ahmad
bin Yahya bin Muhammad bin Sa‘du’d-din Taftazani, who was killed
for being a Sunni (Jahan Ara — ). The Jahan Ara
however, gives his name as Sayfu’d-din Ahmad. The author of the
Ta’rikh-i-Rashxdi, who was a Sunm, gives a detailed account of the
murder, saying that Shah Isma'il himself shot him with an arrow after
an altercation, and then ordered him to be hanged and burnt (p. 235).
Eor Sa‘du’d-din see Browne, •Vol. Ill, p. 353 ; Taftazan was near Nisa
— see Earhang-i-Nasiri under Nisa.

242

AHSANir’T-TAWARiKH.

917 A.H.

(1) Andikhuy is more commonly Andikhu or Andikhud, a town
under BaUih.

(2) Blsh Barmdq (five fingers). There may be several villages of
this name. Charmoy mentions one between Shiraz and Kirmto — and
this must be the Panj Angusht which was the scene of a battle in 753
A.H. between Abu Ishaq’s soldiers and those of Shah Muzaffar bin
Mubarizu’d-din Muhammad. The one here intended must be between
Sawa and Sultaniyya.

(3) Mantashd, a district of South-East Asia Minor, conquered by
the Turks in the reign of Murad II.

(4) Karmiydn, a principality in Asia Minor near Brusa. Murad I
obtained the daughter of its prince for his son Ildarim Bayazid, and with
her he obtained control over the Karmiyto territory, included in which
was the important town of Kutahiya-

(5) Qardmdn, the ancient Laranda, the Capital of the Qaramaniya
' district in the south of Asia Minor. The last independent Ruler of Qara-

man was Qasim Beg bin Shir ‘Ali. The Turks took the country in 887
A.H. (Jahan Ara).

(6) KJiddim 'All Pasha. The Grand Wazir ‘Ali was an eunuch,
and a writer, and the conqueror of Korone and Methone. To him was
dedicated Mawlana Idris’ Hasht Bihisht.

(7) Put their chiefs to death. Hammer-Purgstall states that Isma'il
had the two chiefs thrown into cauldrons of boihng water ; also that
among those killed in the caravan was Shekh Ibrahim Shabistari.

(8) Bdbur Padshah marched. There is a lacuna in the Baburnama
covering many years. R. S. Poole (Coins of the Shahs of Persia) explains
this lacuna as due to Babur’s reluctance to mention his having been
a Persian vassal and having struck coins and read the Khutba in Isma^il’s
name. This view has not commended itself to other scholars ; the lacuna
must be due to other causes. Mirza Haydar in the Ta’rikh-i-Rashidi
gives an account of Babur’s doings. He received a letter at Kabul
from Khan Mirza, and set out, in Ramazan 916 a.h., for Qunduz, where
he found Khan Mirza. The two marched on Hisar, where the Ruler was
Hamza Sultan bin Bakhtiyar Sultan. Hamza Sultan left Hi§ar for
Wakhsh. Near Wakhsh they met, but separated without fighting ; Babur
returned to Qunduz, and Hamza to Hisar. At Qunduz Babur found an
envoy from Shah Isma‘il and his sister Khanzada Begam, who had been
captured from the Uzbeks by the Persians and was now sent back to her
brother ; it will be remembered that she was taken by Shaybak Khan
when Babur fled from Samarqand in 907 a.h. Babur sent Khan Mirza
to the Shah with gifts and an application for support. Khan Mirza
returned with some Persian forces ; and Babur set out for Hisar, and

a^sanxt’t-tawsrikh.

243

met the Uzbeks at Pul-i-sangin — on the Surkhab river. Hamza and
Mahdi Sultan were captured and put to death by Babur. Further
Persian help arrived, and the allies assembled at Hisar, and entered
first Bukhara and then Samarqand. From Bukhara, or Samarqand,
Babur sent back his Persian allies.

(9) Shah QuU Bdhd. This person was nicknamed by the Turks
Shaytan Quli. Malcolm appears to be in error in thinking that this
name was given to Shah Isma'il.

918 A.H,

(1) Bdbur’s war with ‘Uhayd Khdn. This, of course, comes into the
big lacuna in the Baburnama. Mrs. Beveridge (Baburnama, p. 356,
et seq.) gives a sketch of the history of the campaign from the Ta’rikh-i-
Eashidi and the Habibu’s-siyar, which may be compared with the Ahsan.
Clearly the Ahsan is largely ba^d on Khwandamir’s work.

(2) Jdnl Beg was son of Elhwaja Muhammad bin Abul-Khayr.
Hammer-Purgstall says he was the son of Kodjkum bin Abu’l-Khair.
Qipchaq Khan strangely makes him son of Mahmud, the brother of
Shaybak Khan.

(3) Ghaghatdy, Babur’s army is generally called the Chaghatays
in this and other chronicles of the time. Chaghatay was the second
son of Chingiz Khan. For a discussion of the use of the term Chaghatay
see Elias’ Ta’rikh-i-Eashidi, Section 11 of the Introduction.

(4) Amir Muhammad of Shiraz^ i.e. Amir Ghiyasu’d-din Muhammad
bin Amir Yusuf (see later note).

(5) Darband-i-Ahinln, Vide note on p. 20 of Elias’ Ta’rikh-i-
Eashidi — also Quhlugha, the pass, as it is generally called in the Zafar-
nama. It is shown in modern maps as Derbent. Apparently there
were really gates clamped with iron ” in the old days.

(6) The fort. This is Khuzar — as is stated in the Sharafnama ;
there is an omission of the name in our text owing to a copyist’s error.
Mrs. Beveridge gives a resume of the events of this period from the
Habibu’s-siyar and Ta’rikh-i-Eashidi (Baburnama, p. 349, et seq.).

(7) Shekham Mlrzd, was uncle of ‘ Ubayd Kkan (Ta’rikh-i-Eashidi).

Qarshl — ^formerly Nakhshab, whence arose Al-Muqaima‘ the “ Veiled

Prophet of Khurasan ”. Vide Browne, Vol. I, p. 319. In the Zafamama
(Vol. I, p. Ill), I find:—

Al-Ghaffari in a note 4o his Nigaristan says the same thing, but
calls the building a

'244

AipSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

(8) Ohujduwdn, a town six leagues from Bukhara. The district is
one of the seven tumtos into which the present territory of Bukhara
is divided (Mir Izzatullah’s Travels in Central Asia, p. 61).

(9) But Babur set out for Hisdr Shddmdn, Babur is supposed by
many authors to have failed Najm Beg, and taken no part in the battle.
The Ta’rikh-i-Kashidi says The Emperor (i.e. Babur) retired, broken
and crestfallen, to Hisar ’’ (p. 261).

(10) The fort of Ihhtiydru'd-dln. This fort, situated on the north
of the town of Herat, is mentioned in most descriptions of Herat, but
without its history. Thus in the Bawzatu’l-jannat of Mu'inu’d-din
Muhammad (written 897 a.h., and dedicated to Sultan Husayn) there
is a long and fanciful description, but nothing really informing. Howorth
mentions the fort in connection with operations in 1381 a.d. See also
the Zafarnama, Vol. I, p. 354 (784 a.h.). This fort must be the strong
fort formerly called Shamiran, built on the site of an older fire temple.
(Lands of the Eastern Caliphate, p.^409.)

(11) Nur ‘All Khalifa’s war. This campaign is not mentioned
by Malcolm or by Browne. It is mentioned shortly in the Sharafnama,
but with no details or reasons for it.

(12) Qard Hisdr. This must be Qara Hisar Sharqi, about 90 miles
S.W. of Trebizond.

(13) Tuqdt ; Nlhshahr (Niksar) ; are towns S.E. and E. of Amasia
and N. of Siwas. Tuqat is described by the French traveller Andre
Daulier-Deslandes in the middle of the seventeenth century as a large
town, scarcely smaller than Lyons, and almost as important com-
mercially”. The well-known missionary Henry Martyn was buried at
Tuqat.

(14) Murad was the son of Ahmad and grandson of Bayazid —
probably the omission of the words ‘ bin Ahmad ’ is a copyist’s mistake.

(15) JdmVi Silsilatu’z-zahabj was dedicated to Sultan Husayn of
Herat. See Browne, Vol. Ill, p. 516.

(16) Bannd’i. This poet is mentioned in most of the Tazkiras, e.g.
the Safina ; also by Babur (Baburnama, p. 286) with interesting details.
He was bom at Herat, was a pupil of Muhammad Yahya bin ' Ubaydul-
lah and appears to have been forced to leave Herat owing to the jealousy
of Mir ‘Ali Shir and to quarrels with people there, as he says in his Mas-
nawi named Bagh-i-Iram, which he wrote under the takhallu§ of Hali : —

919 A.H-

(1) Karmanlya (Karmina), Jani Begfs appanage, between Bukhara
and Samarqand.

AHSANU^T-TAWAEIKH.

245

(2) Kdl'push, on a southern tributary of the river Gurgan (long.

56®).

(3) KhabusMn — ^modern Quchan, vide Curzon’s Persia, Vol. I,
p. 97, et seq. and Yate’s Khurasan and Sistan, ch. XII.

(4) Shah Buhh Beg Afshdr^s expedition. According to the Habibu’s-
siyar Shuja^ Beg, the son of Amir Zu’n-nun, had attended the Shah at
Herat after the battle of Mahmudi. He was subsequently imprisoned
by Husayn Beg Lala in the fort of Ikhtiyaru’d-din, but, through the
collusion of his guards, he escaped and fled to Qandahar. Shah Bukh
Beg Afshar was at this time sent after him to Qandahar, and pursued
him as far as Shal and Mastung, which he plundered, and then returned
to the Court.

(5) Sultdn Sulaymdn must be the Sulayman mentioned early in
this chronicle as one of the (half) brothers of Isma'il.

(6) Shumh4-Ghdzdn (Ghazan’s dome). The Mongol Ilkhan Arghun
built a palace in the meadows^ two miles south of Tabriz. His son,
Ghazan, was buried there in a mausoleum built by himself in the gardens
of Aadaliya, whose ruins still form the most precious monument at
Tabriz’’ (Howorth, Part III, p. 421). Howorth quotes a curious deriva-
tion — ^the “ Damascus (Sham) of Ghazan”. The spelling “ Shumb ” is
that given by Eiza Quli Khan in his Farhang-i-Nasiri. y, )

t tXAiil* *1111

(7) Tahmuras. The Shahnama describes the demons teaching the
art of writing to King Tahmuras thus : —

(8) Kinds of writing. In the list there is a mixture of scripts and

of varieties of the same script. For J. reads and I

have translated Hindi, thinking that J. probably has the correct read-
ing. In the Ayin-i-Akbari (Gladwin’s translation, p. Ill) the kinds of
writing given are : — Syrian, Greek, Hebrew, Coptic, Maakely, Kufi,
Kashmiri, Ethiopian, Ryhany, Arabic, Persian, Roman, Hymery, Barbary,
etc. The original Arabic is stated to have been Ma'qili ( ) which

is composed of straight lines only, and is said to have been invented by
the Prophet Idris (Enoch). The Ayin says that inscriptions on ancient
buildings are mostly in this character. I am not sure of the vocalization
of this word, nor as to the character itself ; possibly it is Sabaean, and
perhaps, it is called Ma‘qili because used on forts ( Jajuc ). From it
Kufi was developed, they say, in the days of the Ummayads. Kufi has
five-sixths straight lines and one-sixth curved. From these two were
derived what are considered 4ihe six main varieties of Arabic script, viz. : —
§ul§, with Naskh ; Tauqi', with Riqa‘ ; Muhaqqaq, with Rayhan.

246

A^SANXj’T-TAWARiKH.

Specimens of many of these scripts can be seen in No. 29 of the
Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of India (Specimens of Calligraphy
in the Delhi Museum of Archaeology, by Khan Sahib Maulvi Zafar Hasan.
In describing a script it is said to be so many dangs (sixths) straight
line ( ), and so many rounded or curved ). Thus the Qawanin-i-

Khutut says : — ^ ^ j iJo ^

j j J jii iiSlJj iaA. and

Mawlana Majnun bin Muhammad Rafiqi in his short work hA. ^
written about 950 a.h., says of Ma‘qili : — Jf guls is

supposed to have been invented by Ibn Muqla, and there is a saying : —

(9) Ihn Muqla. Abu 'Ali Muhammad bin ^Ali Ibn Muqla was
the Wazir of the 'Abbasid Khalifa Al-Muqtadir b’illah (295-320 a.h.).
When Muqtadir was killed and Qahijf blllah took his place, Ibn Muqla
was called and made Wazir; and he continued as Wazir under Razi
b’illah (322 a.h.). According to the Qawanin-i-Khutut, by Mahmud
bin Muhammad (circ. 970 a.h. ; Bodleian MS.), owing to a quarrel
between Ibn Muqla and Ibn Rabiq, who had superseded Ibn Muqla as
Wazir of the Khalifa Razi, the Khalifa sent an order that Ibn Muqla’s
hand should be cut off, but afterwards repented and sent his own surgeon
to attend to the wound. When the wound was healed Ibn Muqla tied his
pen to his wrist, and wrote asking for the Wazirship again. Ibn Rabiq
ordered his tongue to be cut out, and put him in prison, where he died
in 328 A.H. He was born in 272 a.h., and it was said that he was
three times Wazir, wrote three Qurans, and was three times buried.

(10) The sixth volume. This is one of the references showing the
existence of other works by Hasan.

(11) Ahu'l-Hasan 'All bln Hildl known as Ibn Bawwdb (d. 423 a.h.,
or, as some say, 413 a.h.),

(12) Ydqut Jamalu’d-din Yaqut bin ‘^Abdullah ar-Rumi al-Musta^
simi, slave of the last Khalifa of Baghdad (d. 697 a.h. or 698 a.h.,
Browne, Vol. II, p. 487 ; Tazkira-i-Khushnawisan, p. 24),

(13) Shekhzdda Suhrawardl — ^Ahmad bin al-Suhrawardi (7th century

A.H.).

(14) Abdullah Arghun — ^mentioned in the Ta^kira-i-Khushnawisan
(p. 24), but without details. Many of the other names given here are
also to be found in various Tazkiras, but also without details. For
Sultan Uways see Dawlatshah, p. 262. Khwaja ^Abdullah as-girafi
was a penman of Abu Sa‘id Khudabanda.

(15) Rail Muliammad Bandduz. Perhaps this is the Khwaja Haji
Muhammad Bandgir Khattat who is mentioned in the Zafamama as

AllSANU^T-TAWSRiKH.

247

one of the Tabriz leaders who went out to meet Timur at Shumb-i-
Ghazan in 788 a.h.

(16) Mir ^All Tabrlzl. This writer is to be distinguished from Mir
‘Ali Hirawi, who is mentioned below. He is often said to have
invented Nastaliq ; Mawlana Sultan 'Ali Mashhadi is quoted in the
Ta’rikh-i-badi’a (the author of which is unknown, but was a descendant
of the Astrakhan prince who fled for refuge to Iskandar bin Jani Beg
Uzbek ; Bodleian MS. Ouseley, 269) as follows : —

j* — ll-c — AJ JaA. 'j ib

' 'fl^*"***^ k i.ii ’"V ^ f J ^ I ■! 1**^ ^ t

t (_^i^ ^ c3 —

•xiti j ./o^

.} ^j; j — s:a ^\j\ fj. — ck

But, as many authors have pointed out, Nastaliq is older than Mir
‘Ali Tabrizi, who appears to have died shortly after 800 a.h. Mawlana
Ja’far and Mawlana Azhar were his pupils.

(17) Mawlana (or Mulld) Mir 'All al-Kdtib, a Sayyid of Herat,
the date of whose death is variously given as 924 a.h., 950 a.h., etc.

He is stated in the Ta’rikh-i-badi‘a to have taught Nasta‘liq to
'Ubayd Khan, and the Tagkira-i-Khushnavdsan says that he was much
with ‘Abdullah Kdian Uzbek at Bukhara (if so, we must probably put
his death fairly late). This latter work says that Mir ‘All, when asked
how his writing compared with that of Sultan ‘Ali, replied : —

(18) Mawlana Sultan 'All is mentioned in all works dealing with
calligraphy. The Ta’rikh-i-badi‘a says he was a pupil of Mawlana
Azhar. There were several other Sultan ‘Alls — one of whom is mentioned
above in the text — but this Sultan ‘Ali Mashhadi was by far the most
famous. Like most men of letters he wrote poetry, lines by him being
quoted in the Habibu’s-siyar.

(19) Mawlana Ja'far — ^a calligraphist of Baysunqur bin Shah Bukh
bin Timur, working at Astarabad. See Dawlatshah (ed. Browne),
p. 350.

920 A.H.

(1) The war. .with Sultan Salim. Consult Hammer-Purgstall and
other histories for this campaign and the battle of Chaldiran, Hasan’s
account is picturesque, but does not give us much real information.
The Ta’rikh-i-Bashidi says the Turkish army was several hundred
thousand men while the Shah had only 30,000.

(2) The beginning of Eajab. The Jahan Ara says on 2nd Bajab,

248

AHSANXr’T-TAWSEiKH.

(3) The Shah marched to Darjuzln, The Sharafnama (whose author

wrote in the safe retreat of Bitlis) bluntly says that Isma'il fled without
drawing rein till he reached Darjuzm and Hamadan. Question has
been raised as to whether Isma^il was personally present at the battle
of Chaldiran at all. The Jahan Ara says he went off quail shooting
before the battle ( isA ), But this does not

mean that he was not present when the battle began. Whatever other
failings Isma'il had, he was no coward. Hammer-Purgstall says he was
wounded in the battle in the arms and feet. Darjuzin, or Darguzin,
is shown in Curzon’s map about 55 miles N.W. of Hamadan. It is men-
tioned in the Nuzhatu’l-qulub as being formerly in the Alam, or fourth,
district under Hamadan. Saru Pira Qurchibashi, mentioned among the
Persian chiefs killed, was elder brother of Mantasha Sultan (Jahan Ara).

. Hammer-Purgstall states that the Shah’s favourite wife was captured
at Chaldiran, and that he sent envoys to the Sultan at Amasia, but
the envoys were arrested, and the Shah’s wife was given to Tajzada
JaTar Chalabi. Browne (Vol. IV, p. 77) says that Isma'il sent a very
polite and apologetic letter to Salim, who vouchsafed no reply. It
seems clear that the proud Persian monarch was humbled and mortified
beyond measure by his defeat. Malcolm says he was never after-
wards seen to smile It appears doubtful whether the statement of
the Habibu’s-siyar can be believed — that Isma'il, seeing that further
fighting only meant the destruction of his men, decided to withdraw
from Chaldiran, meaning to attack again if the Turks pursued.

(4) BadVu’z-zamdn. Erskine (quoted by Mrs. Beveridge, Babur-
nama, p. 327, note) says he was taken prisoner and carried to Constan-
tinople, where he died in 923 a.h. But this is not in accordance with
my authorities. The Jahan Ara says he died after four months.

(5) Shah Nuru'd-dln Ni'matulldh. For an account of this saint
see Browne, Vol, III, p. 463 ; also in ‘'A Year amongst the Persians

(6) Khalil Sultan Z%Cl-Qadar, His name was Ummat Beg (Jahan

Ara). Both Jahan Ara and Sharafnama place his death in 926 a.h. ;
the former gives the chronogram : This later date is

accepted by Mirza Fursat in his Asar-i-‘Ajam — Khalil’s governorship of
Shiraz began in 911 a.h., and ended 926 a.h., when his successor,
‘All Sultan Chanchaklu Zul-Qadar was appointed. Nevertheless it
seems improbable that Isma‘il would postpone punishment for cowardice,
or treachery, for six years, and perhaps the Ahsan is right. The Habibu’s-
siyar says that Khalil had held himself aloof from the fight at Chaldiran,
in spite of a message from the Shah.

921 A.H-

(1) Kamakh. — A castle with a sm^ll town lying below it ” (Le
Strange, Nuzhatu’l-qulub, p. 98) : “ une bouxgade florrissante sur

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

249

1 -Euphrate ’ (Charmoy). In Timur's ultimatum to Bayazid of Turkey
one of the demands was the surrender of Kamakh.

(2) Mustafa Pasha Blghlu Chdush. The Sharafnama calls him
Muhammad Agha Chaushbashi. Hammer-Purgstall says Muhammad
Pasha. Governor of Arzinjan. The Jahan Ara gives his name as Mustafa
Pasha. (Blghlu = moustached.)

(3) Chamishguzilc, a town in Armenia on the river Euphrates. The
Sharafnama says that Nur^Ali Khalifa was killed in battle with Pir
Husayn Beg, son of Haji Rustam Beg, Kurdish Chief of Chamishgiizik,
before the arrival of Bighlu Chaush, at Takur Yaylaqi (or Yakar
Yaylaqi ?).

(4) Amir Khan Turkman, i.e. Amir Beg Mawsilu, then made a Khan.

(5) Four of them who ruled. Hammer-Purgstall gives the following
genealogy : —

Zu’l-Qadar

» I

Zaynu'd-din

Khalil Beg

Nasiru’d-din Muhammad

Sulayman Beg

Arslan Beg Shahsuwar Beg Shah Budaq 'Ala'u’-d-dawla.

The Sharafnama says that Salim gave ‘Ala’u’d-dawla’s place to
^Ali Beg bin Shahsuwar Beg. ‘Ali Beg was killed in 927 a.h. by Farhad
Pasha.

(6) Khwdja Asafi is mentioned by Kdiwandamir (Habibu’s-siyar),
but with little detail. But see Babumama, p. 286 and note. The Haft
Iqllm puts the date of his death 923 a.h., the Atash Kada 920 a.h.

Quhistan was the province of Khurasan south of Mashhad com-
prising Turshiz and its neighbouring districts. In the Rawzatul-jannat
of Mu'inu'd-din Muhammad (897 a.h.) it is said to measure 400 farsakhs
long by 400 broad, and from that to have been known as
Quhistto is the Arabicised form of Kuhistto, hill country.

(7) Mawldnd Nizdmu^d-dln of Astarabad was a poet who dealt
chiefly with the art of riddling. (Habibu's-siyar.)

(8) Mawldnd Riydzl, is also mentioned by Khwandamir in his list of
the learned men of Sultan Husayn’s Court. But he is said to have
come from Zawa (Turbat-i-Haydari*) not Sawa. Sawa may be a mistake.

n2 A.H.

'(1) Qard Khdn, brother of Khan Muhammad Ustajlu, who was
killed at Chaldiran. He, wa# given one of Isma^il’s sisters, and was
the father of ‘Abdullah, who is frequently mentioned later on.

250

A^SANU^T-TAWARiKH.

(2) Quruq-i-sar-i-Mdrdln. — Some meadow, game preserve, or camp-
ing ground, near Mardin, 50 miles or so S.E. of Diyarbakr.

(3) Sultan Salim's war with Qdnsu. For this campaign, see Salmon’s
** Ottoman conquest of Egypt ” — ^which is a translation of the chronicle
of Muhammad bin Ahmad bin lyas.

(4) The Shrine of David. See Salmon, p. 41. The Sultan pro-
ceeded ” (from Marj Dabiq) ‘‘ to Zaghzaghun and Tell-al-Par, where the
alleged tomb of the Prophet Da’ud is”.

(5) Qardcha Pdshd was, according to the Sharafnama, Mir-i-miran
of Aleppo at this time. He is mentioned among the Chiefs of Kilis.

(6) It is a strange thing. Khwandamir writes that, after capturing
Aleppo Salim marched to Egypt, and : —

tj ij>A.L 9 cbLi

That is to say Qansu was not killed at the battle of Marj Dabiq, but
later on in Egypt. But it does not seem that Hasan quotes quite
correctly.

(7) Bahdrlu. This was one of the Black Sheep Turkman tribes —
the tribe to which belonged Bayram Khan, Akbar’s guardian.

(8) The ^Ahkdsha gate. This is the MS. reading, and it may .be
correct, for Khwaja ^Akkasha was a saint buried at Balkh (Zafarnama,
Vol. II, p. 210, 1. 4). But it may be the Akcha gate, which is the
main gate on the west of Balkh city.

(9) Georgia. The Ahsan always writes of Gurjistan or Georgia,
and does not distinguish between the various divisions of this country,
which were at the time ruled by separate Chiefs. Further on we have a
good deal to do with Georgian expeditions, and it is difficult to under-
stand them without some explanation. The chief authority on Georgian
history is Brosset, whose great French translation of the Georgian chron-
icles was published in 1849 a.d. and succeeding years under the name
of Histoire de la G^orgie This immense work is somewhat difficult
to use, and it has no map, nor does it always explain the locality of the
innumerable places mentioned.

In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries there were four Georgian
districts — ^Karthli, Kakheti, Imereth, and Samtzkhe or Saatabagho.
For, in 1445 a.d.. King Alexander had divided his kingdom among his
three sons, giving Karthli to Wakhtang, Imereth to Dimitri, and Kakheti
to Georgi ; while the fourth province of Samtzkhe was often also
independent.

Over Karthli (which is the central portion, and is supposed to be
named from Karthlos, a descendant of the patriarch Japhet) reigned : —
Daud VIII, 1505-1525 ; Louarsab I, (Lawasan) 1534-1558 ; Simon I,
1558-1600 (with a nine years’ interval when he was imprisoned at
Alamut).

a^santj’t-tawirikh.

261

The kings of Kakheti were : — Georgi II, 1511-1513 ; Daud of Karthli,
1513-1518 ; Lawan (Lawand, Leon, son of Georgi II), 1520-1574 ;
Alexander, 1574-1605.

Samtzkhe (the country of the Meskhes) was governed by Atabeks : —
Kaykhusraw I, 1500-1502 ; Mzedchabuq, 1502-1516 ; Qnrqnra IV, 1516-
1535 ; Kaykhusraw II (son of Qurqura), 1545-1573.

Imereth (imier= beyond, i.e. the country beyond Mt. Likh, Western
Georgia) had : — Alexander II, 1478-1510 : Bagrat III (Bash Achuq,
‘^uncovered head”), 1510-1548; Georgi IT, 1548-1585 a.d.

Lawan of Kakheti kept on good terms with the Persians, and often
assisted them. He died at an advanced age in 1574. His son Tsa
married a daughter of Sam Mirza. Similarly Kaykhusraw of Samtzkhe
was connected with the Persian Court, for, having no daughters of his
own, he sent Shah Tahmasp the daughter of a near relation. And we
frequently find him on the Persian side.

The Imereth Rulers have little to do with Persian history, but came
into collision with the Turks. The Rulers of Karthli were constantly
attacked by Shah Tahmasp ; Louarsab (Lawasto) and his son Simon are
prominent in that Shah’s Georgian wars.

There is much difficulty with the names of Georgian places. They
look singularly uncouth. Put into Persian characters by a Turco-
Persian writer, then copied by a scribe, who probably did not know them,
they may easily assume forms which bear no resemblance whatever to
Brosset’s transcriptions in French — themselves often clumsy to English
eyes.

(10) Qurqura and Minuchihr, Qurqura IV succeeded his father
in 1516 (922-23 a.h.). But I find no Minuchihr mentioned in the chro-
nicles at this time, and the facts are obscure to me. There may have
been some fighting at the accession of Qurqura.

(11) Charkan Hasan Takalu was the father of Ghazi Khan Takalu,
who appears later in this history (Jahan Ara).

(12) Aq Shahr and Shura GiL — Situated between Erivan and Qars.
Aq Shahr is naturally a common name (White City). The best
known is N.W. of Qonia ; another — also well-known — between Siwas and
Arzinjan.

(13) Tumuk. The MSS. are doubtful, but in the Jahan Ara
Tumuk is clear ; where exactly it is I do not know.

(14) ' Abdullah Marwdrld, see note on 906 a.h. (37).

(15) Sultan Qdnsu Ghurl. Hammer-Purgstall refers to one version
which says that Qansu died of apoplexy. But see Salmon’s Ottoman
Conquest of Egypt, p. 43. Qansu was about 78 years of age. Re-
garding his name the form adopted by me is that commonly used, but,
according to Sir Denison Ross, a Quran, dedicated to him, and now
preserved in the Royal Library at Cairo, shows that it should be

252

ahsanxj’t-tawarikh.

Qansauh al-Ghauri. The list of the Egjrptian Bahri and Burji Mamluk
Sultans (648-922 a.h.) is of course very incomplete.

923 A.H.

(1) The Mosque of the Bam Umayya. This famous mosque is usually
stated to have been originally the Church of St. John the Baptist, con-
structed by Arcadius on the site of the ancient temple of Damascus,
and turned by the Khalifa Walid I into a mosque (86-96 a.h.). See
Hughes’ Dictionary of Islam (pp. 65-69). When Timur took Damascus
he tried to protect the mosque, but its eastern minaret was burnt
(Zafarnama, Vol. II, p. 340). The walls of the mosque were said to
display not only Mecca and Medina but the towns of the whole world.

(2) Tumam Beg — ^Ashraf Abu’l-Nasr Tuman Beg. See p. 57, 70,
etc. of Salmon’s book. Muhammad bin Ahmad calls him a ‘‘kinsman”
of Qansu Al-Ghuri. According to this authority the account of Sinan
Pasha’s death as given here is inct>rrect ; he was killed in the battle
outside Cairo ; see Salmon, p. 112 (“a greater battle than that which
took place in Merj Dabek ”).

(3) Oharjistdn, a district between Herat and Maymana, the first
town from Herat being Aq Gumbad (the White Dome). As observed
in the notes on the text the MSS. read An Gumbad. Mrs. Beveridge,
quoting the Habibu’s-siyar calls Urdu Shah “ an envoy sent out to parley
with ” Muhammad Zaman. Elsewhere Urdu Shah is described as the
Chief of Gharjistan. His ancestry and history are unknown to me.

(4) Ibrahim Sultan, a grandson of Sufi Khalil Turkman (Qipchaq
Khan).

(5) MughvI Qdnchl (or Qanji). Both meaning and correct ortho-
graphy are unknown to me. Possibly it is the name of a Mughal tribe.
I find mention of a person in the Ta’rikh-i-Rashidi who was “ an Amir
Tuman of the Kunji (clan) Apparently the men spoken of were the
Mughal contingent from’ Mughalistan.

924 A.H-

(1) Durmish Khan, the son of the ‘Abdi Beg who was killed in the
battle with Sarim Kurd. With him went Zaynal Khan, according to the
Jahan Ara — both were Shamlu Chiefs, so they took Shamlu troopers
with them. Awlad and Kilis were forts of Mazandaran, constructed
by the Agha Rustam Ruz Afzun to whom Shah Isma‘il sent the dead
Shaybak Khto’s hand. There is a detailed account of the doings of
Mazandaran Chiefs in the writings of one Elhwar Shah bin Qubad al-
Husayni. Khwar Shah was an envoy sent by Burhan Nizam Shah
of Ahmadnagar, who became a Shi‘a, and therefore sent a representative
of Persia. Elhwar Shah spent many years in Persia, finally returning
to India, where he died 972 a.h., at Golconda. His record is caUed

AipSASTTr’T-TAWARiKH.

253

the Ta’rikh-i-Ilchi-i.Nizamshah, and is to be found in Schefer’s Chresto-
mathie Persane, Vol. II. He says he was a friend of Agha Muhammad
(Agha Rustam s son), and saw many of the events he described. At all
evente he is a contemporary, and, so far as I can see, a careful writer.

Agha Rustam was originally a noble of Sawatku (Sawad Kuh)
and became R^l^ of Sari. His chief rival was *Abdu’l-karim bin Amir
‘Abdullah. On Agha Rustam’s death in 916 a.h., his two sons, Agha
Suhrab and Agha Muhammad, were driven out of Sari by ‘Abdu’l-karim
and fled to Sawatku. Agha Suhrab eventually made terms with ‘Abdu’l-
karim and married his daughter and died. Choha Sultan had been sent
by the Shah to collect the Mazandaran tribute of 30,000 tumans
(Khwandamir says 20,000), and he took Agha Muhammad and ‘Abdu’l-
karim to Isma‘il. Isma‘il divided Mazandaran between the two —
‘Abdu’l-karim to be at Barfurush and Agha Muhammad at Sari. But
they remained rivals, and so the tribute was not paid. Then it was
that Durmish Khan was sent to collect it. Later the two princes fought
again. Agha Muhammad fled to Sawatku and then to the Shah at
Tabriz. However, ‘Abdul-karim sent large presents to Mirza Shah
Husayn Isfahan!, the Wakil, and Agha Muhammad was imprisoned in
Alanchiq fort, and the whole of Mazandaran given to ‘Abdu’l-karim.
But on Ismail’s death Choha Sultan, an old friend of Agha Muhammad,
got Agha Muhammad released and restored to him half of Mazandaran.
‘Abdu’l-karim again attacked him ; but he was unsuccessful, and died
soon after, in 932 a.h., leaving three sons, the second of whom, Amir
Shahi, eventually succeeded him. Amir Shahi was with Tahmasp
in his Khurasan expedition, bxit on his return he was murdered near
Samnan by men instigated by Agha Muhammad, who thereafter reigned
alone in Mazandaran for fourteen years. In 952 a.h. Tahmasp came
to Firuzkuh en route for Mazandaran to punish the murderers of Amir
Shahi. Agha Muhammad escaped by bribing Qazi-i-Jahan, but was
fined 3,000 tumans ; shortly after this, upset by the murder of one of his
sons, he died, over 70 years of age. He was succeeded by his son
Agha Suhrab, who was turned out by a certain Amir ‘Abdullah, and
the Ruz Afzun dynasty ended. Khwar Shah adds that ‘Abdu’l-karim
was a friend of Shah Isma‘il, and his comrade in drinking bouts, and
in games of ‘ nard ’ — at which he lost and had to pay up his losses.

(2) Amlra Dubbaj was the son of Husamu’d-din bin Amira Ishaq,
and the Ruler of Biya Pas or Resht. He rebelled, but was forgiven
through the intercession of Kar Eaya Sultan Ahmad. He then came
to Court, and was given Khayru’n-nissa Begam, Isma‘irs daughter,
and styled Muzaffar Sultan. The princess died in 938 a.h,, and Muzaf-
far was guilty of treachery in 940 a.h. by joining the Turks and going
to Awjan to meet Sultan Sulayman— with the result given under the year
942 A.H. (Vide ‘Abdu’l-fattah Fumani’s Ta’rikh-i-Gilan, printed by

254

ahsantj’t-tawSrIkh.

Dorn in his Muhammedanische Quellen, Vol. Ill, the Sharafnama, and
the Ta’rikh-i-‘Alam-Aray-i-‘Ahbasi).

926 A.H.

(1) Babur marched to Qandahar. There is a gap in the Baburnama
from 926 to 932 a.h. Mrs. Beveridge discusses the history of the siege
of Qandahar, using the Habibu’s-siyar and a history of Sind (see Babur-
nama, p. 430, etc.). Why Babur attacked Shah Shuja* Beg (son of Amir
Zu"n-nun) is not clear. Amir IChan’s interference in the matter must
have been cheeked by 'Ubayd Khan’s attack on Herat in 927 a.h. About
the end of the siege, or not very long after it, Shah Shuja' died ; the
year is not certain.

(2) Died from plague. The Sharafnama says : —

AsXiiJ vJlAArtf t ^ jf. The same year as Sultan

Salim died Mawlana Idris, the author of the Hasht Bihisht, also died. He
had been made civil administrator o^ the Kurdish provinces taken by the
Turks, and the arrangements he made lasted into quite modern times.

(3) Kajfa^ i.e. Theodosia in the Crimea.

(4) Amlnl. For this poet see Browne, Vol. IV, p. 81.

927 A.H.

(1) Ohihil DuJchtardn (the Forty Daughters) is a town in the Bad-
ghis district north of Herat. There was another place of the same name
close to Andijan.

(2) Sdq-i-Salmdn. A suburb of Herat. The Baburnama writes
Sulayman, but I have always seen in other authors, as here, Salman,
The Ravens’ Garden in Herat is attributed to Shah Rukh and his wife
Gohar Shad Begam. It was ‘‘ situated outside the north-western
angle of the walls of Herat ”. (Ta’rikh-i-Rashidi, p. 83, note.)

(3) Aleppo, the ancient Khalybon, supposed to have been the abode-
of the prophet Khizr, and the place where Abraham milked his herds —
I suppose owing to the name ( milk).

(4) Hasan Beg. See note on 930 a.h. (1). Div Sultan appears
in the Georgian chronicles as Deval. He is said to have ruined
Karthli and Samtzkhe ; but the date given is 929 a.h. It is said
that in 1518 a.d. (925 a.h.) Shah Isma'il marched against Karthli,
but King Daud sent his son Ramaz with presents to the Shah. Ramaz
was honourably received and sent back, and Karthli was saved.

(5) Khwdja Mawldnd4-Isfahdm. Sayyid Qiwamu’d-din Husayn
Khwaja Isfahan! (Habibu’s-siyar — ^from which the details given are
probably taken).

(6) 'Abdullah Hdtift, See Browne, Vol. IV, p. 227-229, for this
poet. He went from Herat to join Babur at Qandahar (Habibu’s-siyar).
Chronograms for his death quoted in the Makhzanu’l-gharaib are : —

AHSAlSrir’T-TAWSRiKH.

255

ysU, and For remarks on his Timumama, see Blochet,

Introduction k Fhistoire des Mongols, p. 108 (Gibb, Mem. Series, VoL XII).

(7) A. 17 iIt Sccyyid Ohiydsu^ d-din JMuhcLTnTyictd biu Yusuf bin Shamsu^d-
din al-Husayni was a patron of EJiwandamlr, and the details given by
that author are therefore likely to be true. In his youth he was associated
with Shekhu’l-Tslam Ahmad al-Taftazani, and taught in the Madrassa
at Herat, being patronized by Sultan Husayn and his sons Badi‘u’-z-
zaman and Muzaffar Husayn. He was made Qazi of Khurasan by
Isma il, and then Sadr and Amir. It is easy to understand that this
powerful individual fell out with Amir Khan, Prince Tahmasp’s guardian
and the virtual ruler of Khurasan. Amir Khan charged him — ^whether
with truth or not — with partisanship for Babur, and with designs for
bringing Babur from Kabul to Herat. And on 6th Rajab Amir Khan had
the Sayyid arrested and imprisoned in the fort of Ikhtiyaru’d-din, and,
the day after, put to death. Khwandamir says that Amir Ghiyasu’d-din
had meant to complain of AmirfEOian’s neglect and the bad state into
which he had brought Khurasan. Yrom the fort Ghiyasu’d-din wrote
to Amir Khan : —

y (j sS sjd j (yo

After this crime Amir Khan was a good deal scared by the effect
it produced on the various Chiefs. To support his charges he set out,
saying he was going to Qandahar, i.e. against Babur. Sam Mirza and
Durmish Khan were appointed to succeed Tahmasp and Amir Khan.
However Durmish and Zaynal Khan sent Amir Khan a friendly letter,
and met him. Later Khizr Beg arrived with a letter containing the
Shah’s order for Amir Khan’s supersession. Amir Khan left for Traq
on 3rd Safar 928, stayed a few days at Saq-i-Salman, and then, on the
way to Traq, fell sick, and could only travel two leagues a day in a litter.
He died on 12th Sha‘ban.

929 A.H.

(1) Maqdl Maturl, I am unable to explain this name — unless it is
a strange corruption of Grand Maitre. The Governor of Rhodes was
Villiers de File- Adam, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitallers of St.
John of Jerusalem. Rhodes was taken by the Knights in 1309 A.n.,
and converted into a fortress for the protection of the southern seas
against the Turks. An attack by Sultan Muhammad II in 1480 A.n.
was repulsed with heavy loss, but the present siege ended in the evacua-
tion of the island by the Knights. ' (929 a.h., 1522 A.n.)

•(2) Niydzl, For the lines quoted see Browne, VoL IV, p. 81. The
dates given by the reading in the text are 926 and 940 a.h. The Sharaf-
nama gives another chronogram ; —

256

AHiSANU’T-TAWAEiKH.

JSlijj 1^— .r {^‘!^ {^ *2^5^

^lit .il'AAiJ ^^^mmS l j ^ J WiiiiftJ tit

which, at least, gives the correct date, 929 a.h.

(3) Ummldl. Vide Browne, VoL IV, p. 230. Ummidfs death
is mentioned by most authorities, e.g. by the Haft Tqlim, Atash Kada,
Safina (by Khushgu, 1147 a.h.), Khazana-i-‘Amira (by Ghulam ‘Ali
Husajm Wasiti Bilgrami, 1176 a.h.). The murder went unpunished at
the time owing to Shah IsmalFs death, but, later on, when Tahmasp
returned from Khurasan in 944 a.h., he had Qiwamu’d-din arrested and
imprisoned, and brought Ummidi’s family to Qazwin.

(4) Qiwdmu'd-dln Nur Bahhsh. See note on 944 a.h. (1).

(5) The Qurchls. See notes on the text.

(6) Khwdj a J aidin' d-dln MuJparrilfhriad (Mahmud ?), entitled 1‘timadu’-
d-dawla, was burnt to death next year (vide 930 a.h.).

930 A-H.

(1) Hasan Beg of Shati and Shirwan is said by the Georgian chroni-
cles to have made attacks on Kakheti. Lawan made overtures for
peace, but, failing to secure it, marched against Shaki, overthrew and
killed Hasan, and ravaged Shaki. The Georgian chronicler Wakhusht
appears to put this event in 1547 a.d., but (if he is correctly represented)
this is surely much too late. The Ta’rikh-i-'Alam-Aray-i-‘Abbasi here,
as elsewhere, follows the Ahsan.

(2) His Majesty fell ill. The Sharafnama says that Isma^il went
hunting wild horses. Qipchaq Khan says that Isma'il fell ill because
of the bad climate ( ) of Shaki. Sarab is on the Tabriz- Ardabil
road, some 70 miles east of Tabriz ; Sayin, a village to the west of Sarab.

(3) Chdydn Stdtdn (the Scorpion). The Jahan Ara and Sharaf-
nama put Ghayan Sultan’s death in 929 a.h. He was buried at Bagh-
dad, and succeeded by his son Bayazid, who, however, died in 930 a.h.
On Bayazid’s death Div Sultan Rumlu became Amiru’l-umara. Chayan’s
brother, Mustafa Sultan (Kupuk Sultan), and Div Sultan, became joint
Wakils, and disputes between these two Chiefs led to the serious XJstajlu
rebellion early in Tahmasp’s reign.

(4) His age was thirty-eight years. Shah Isma‘il was born 25th
Rajab 892 a.h. — thirty-eight lunar years, of course. For his descent
vide remarks on the death of Tahmasp (984 a.h. (10) ). Ismail was
a poet,* with the pen-name of Khata’i, but he wrote mostly in Turkish,
though the Atash Kada quotes a Persian line of his. It may here be
remarked that, while Persian was usec^for literary efforts, and diplo-
matic correspondence between the Persian and Turkish Courts, both

AHS ANU’t-TAWARIKH .

257

Shah and Sultan habitually spoke Turkish- Probably Hasan-i-Rumlu,
while he wrote Persian, spoke Turkish ; so also did all the great military
Chiefs. Thus the French traveller Andre Daulier-Deslandes writes of
the time of Shah 'Abbas, " The country has a language of its own, but
at the Court and among educated people, they almost always speak
Turkish Nevertheless Shah Isma'il posed as a Persian, if we may
judge from the fact that his children were given names famous in old
Persian legend, e.g. Sam, the grandfather of Rustam, and Farangis,
the daughter of Afrasiyab.

(5) Qdsim Khan, Howorth makes Buraq of the White Horde
have two sons Giray and Jani Beg, and makes Qasim Khan, son of Jani
Beg ; while the Ahsan and Jahan Ara say he was grandson. It will
be remembered that Shaybak Khan’s attack, on Qasim Khan in 915 a.h.
was unsuccessful. His successor, Haqq Naz^r Elhan, is mentioned
several times later on ; he reigned in the Qipchaq Plain for more than
forty years.

(6) 8hehh Shah. His name was Shekh Ibrahim (Habibu’s-siyar).

(7) Quatrain. Practically the same verses are quoted as having
been written for the death of 'Ata Malik-i-Juwayni (author of the
Ta’rikh-i-Jahan-gusha). See Browne, Vol. Ill, p. 66.

(8) The brave Syrians, i.e. the Shamlus ; Durmish Elhan was the
Shamlu Chief.

931 A.H.

(1) Ldr. This is, of course, not Lar near the Persian Gulf, but
Larijan, lying between Damavand and Firuzkuh, for which see Rabino’s
Mazandaran and Astarabad, pp. 40 and 114 (Gibb. Memorial, New
Series, Vol. VII).

(2) Kalhur. The Kalhurs were a Kurdish tribe between BaghdS^d
and Kirmanshah.

(3) Turkman Kandl, the modern Turkmanchai, between Miyana
and Tabriz, on the route given in the Nuzhatu’l-qulub (Le Strange,
p. 174).

(4) Jaranddh, a suburb of Tabriz. .

(5) The fort of Nurl. Nuri, or Luri, was a fort in Mazandaran.
.The Qazi’s place was given to Mir Ja'far of Sawa as mentioned below ;

Tahmasp’s Diary adds : — lL«U aj

(6) Murad Sultdn Zu^l-Qadar died almost immediately, and was
succeeded by Hamza Sultan ChamishLu Zul-Qadar, who was Governor
of Shiraz till 940 a.h.

932 A.H.

(1) Sahsanjuk. See notes on the text. The village is unknown

to me.

258

A^SANU’T-TAWAEiKH.

(2) Burun Sultan Tahalu was Governor of Mashhad.

(3) KharzawU is mentioned by Nasir-i-Khusraw in his Safarnama
as a village close to Qazwin.

(4) Babur's Panipat Campaign, Indian histories may be consulted
for Babur’s campaigns and the battle of Panipat. The Bhira campaign
was long before the fifth campaign in which the battle of Panipat was
fought. There are full details in the Baburnama. According to Babur
Ibrahim was found dead among a heap of slain. It is not clear to whom
Hasan refers by ‘‘the Qutlughs”. Babur writes : — “We bestowed the
military coUectorate of Dihli on Bed Wali, made Dost Diwan in the
Dihli district, sealed the treasures, and made them over to their charge ”.
(Baburnama, p. 476.)

(5) Tus, a town a few miles N.W. of Mashhad, only represented
now by a few ruins. See Yate’s Klxurasan and Sistan, p. 314-316. It
was formerly the capital of a district — ^from which came Pirdawsi. If,
as Yates says, “ the town of Mashhad is generally supposed to have been
populated by the gradual absorption of the people of Tus ”, Tus must
have been in decline before the fifteenth century.

(6) KasJcan. The name sometimes appears as Kistan Qara.
Vamb4ry (Bukhara) calls him Easten Kara Sultan. Mrs. Beveridge
(Baburnama, p. 545) writes “ Kitin-qara SultEn ”,

(7) Karlmu'd-dln Khwdja Hablbulldh succeeded Amir Ghiyasu’d-din
Muhammad, and became patron of Ediwandamir, and the Habibu’s-
siyar is named after him.

933 A.H.

(1) Zu'l-Qadar MuTpammad Khan was the son of blind Shah Rukh
and grandson of ‘Ala’u’d-dawla.

(2) Shurur — ^where Isma‘il’s battle with Alwand Beg took place,

near NakhcMwan. The Sharafnama says, at ;

Tahmasp’s Diary, jd.

(3) Damrl Sultan Shdmlu, His place was given to Muhammad
Beg Eumlu, one of his officers.

(4) Ahhl Sultan Takalui, His district, Qazwin, was given to
Muhammad Beg Sharafu’d-(^n tJghali (Tahmasp’s Diary, and Jahan
Ara).

(5) The Mohacz Campaign, See Hammer-Purgstall and other
histories. Pavet de Courteille has a French translation from the Arabic
of Kamal Pashazada, who died in 940 a.h., giving an early account of
the campaign. (Histoire de la Campagne de Mohacz.) For Ferdinand
and the Ban see notes on the text.

(6) Ibrahim Pasha, the Grand Wazir, was born at Parga and captured
as a boy by Turkish corsairs, and attrac'^ued Sulayman’s attention by his
skill on the violin. He was made Grand Wazir in 931 a.h., and was

AHSANU’t-TAW ARIKH.

259

murdered in 942 a.h., being found strangled after dining with the
Sultan ; it was believed that the Sultan, fearing his power and wealth,
and irritated by his pride and familiarity, had him murdered.

(7) Guzil Bara (Fair Valley), near Sultaniyya. There was another
Guzil Dara near L. Wan.

(8) Bw Sultan was killed. The Sharafnama says that Choha Sultan

persuaded Tahmasp to shoot Div Sultan when he entered the Diwto.
Tahmasp shot him G ^ ^

And the men present then finished him off

934 AH (jUi ^ J

The year is not given in A, but must have been accidentally
omitted. It comes here.

(1) Jigarga Sultan Shamlu was, according to the Sharafnama,
Governor of Sabzawar ; and Mustafa Sultan Afshar, Governor of Sawa.

(2) The killing of Ibrahim Khan. Longrigg (Four centuries of
modern Iraq) writes of Zu’l-faqar : — ‘‘ Neither his antecedents, nor the
mode of his assumption of government in Baghdad, are clear. He
belonged perhaps to a frontier Lurish family, and had gained the follow-
ing of the powerful Kalhur group. The Khan of Baghdad had marched
to the foothiUs on his way to rejoin the Shah.’^ Mahi Dasht is a few
miles west of Kirmtoshah. Nukhud Beg is mentioned (p. 84) as
being in charge of one of the gates of Herat at the time of ‘Ubayd
Khan s attack in 927 a.h. The Sharafnama says that Zu’l-faqar killed
the whole of Ibrahim’s family, except Qasim Beg, who was Muhrdar
with the Shah, and Muhammadi Beg and his mother (who was Tahmasp’s
nurse)— these persons being at the time in the Royal Camp.

935 A.H.

(1) Chaman4-Makhur, near Sawukh Bulagh.

(2) Sdru qumish (yellow silver), mentioned by the Sharafnama

thus : oL as the place where

Tahmasp stayed after the battle of the Jam river.

(3) Smote him on the back with his sword. The Jahan Ara and
Sharafnama say with a shash par ” or mace ; the ‘Alam-Aray-i-‘Abbasi
says with a ' tupuz and adds that the blow damaged ‘Ubayd’s hear-
ing and he was afterwards known as ‘Deaf ‘Ubayd’. The Sharafnama
calls the battle the battle of ‘Umrabad near Jam. The ds*'

in the Jahto Ara as Thursday the last day of Jumada II.
saved, according to Jahan Ara and Sharafnama, by Qilf*
others. The events which follow shew that the Uzbek
affected by this reverse.

(4) Aghziwdr Sultan, wa3<*son of Damri Sultan '
killed by ‘Ubayd Kdian.

260

A^SAlSru’T-TAWAEiKH.

(5) Kech Makran. ‘‘Kech proper is the narrow tract of country
between Sami and Nasirabad lying on both sides of the Kech Kaur/'
‘‘ Kech proper is the country round Turbat.’' ‘‘ The term Kech is applied
in its widest sense, not only to the great central valley of Makran — but
to various localities lying to the north and south of the valley. This is
the Kech Makran of history, so called to distinguish it from Persian
Makran, the two tracts making up the Makranat ” (Baluchistan Gazetteer,
Vol. VII, pp. 295, 301). 'Kej ’ writes Goldsmith (Eastern Persia, p. 134)
‘ is reported to be the hottest place in all Makran

(6) Mawldnd HildU. Badru’d-din Hilali of Astarabad, author of
‘ Shah wa Gada ’ and a diwan of Qasidas and Ghazals. The former has
been translated into German verse by ilthe. See Browne, Vol. IV, p.
234. The Atash Kada dates his death 939 a.h. ; the Safina 936 a.h.

(7) Jurbddaqdn . — ^Now Gulpayqan (see Jackson, Persia, Past and
Present, p. 249). According to the Nuzhatu’l-qulub, followed by the
Haft Iqlim, this town, 31J leagues from Isfahan, was originally named
Gulbadagan (Arabicised into Jurbadaqan) meaning ‘the home of roses
Regarding this expedition Longrigg (Four centuries of modern Iraq,
p. 21) says : — “ Tahmasp marched by Kermanshah to Baghdad. Several
assaults availed him nothing. Dhul-faqar was as stubborn in defence as
bold to seize. Treachery succeeded where the Safawi arms had failed'’.
The Sharafnama says the Persians were overcome by heat, and about
to leave, when ‘Ali Beg, a trusted officer of Zul-faqar, went with his
brother Ahmad Beg, and found Zul-faqar asleep, and cut off his head.
This is confirmed by Tahmasp’s Diary. ‘Ali Beg was called ‘Zul-faqar
Kush ’ — the slayer of Zul-faqar.

936 A.H.

(1) Abu Sa%d Khan, the Lord of all the Uzbeks. This is perhaps
a suitable place to sketch the succession of Uzbek rulers from the death
of Shaybak Elhan to the date at which this chronicle ends.

Kuchkunji, Kuchunji, or Kiichum, EJian, who succeeded to the over-
lordship of the Uzbek confederacy in 916 a.h. was Shaybak Khan’s uncle.
Muhammad Timur, Shaybak’s son, seems to have remained at Samar-
qand, and, when he died (in 919 a-h., Qipchaq Khan, or 927 a.h.,
Ta’rikh-i-badi‘a) Kuchum iOito came to Samarqand. Jani Beg
retained his fief at Karmina and Ghujduwan; Sunduk Khan was made
Ruler ^t Tashkand ; and Jani Beg’s son, Kaskan Qara, who had taken
Balkh from Muhammad Zaman Mjrza in 932 a.h., ruled at Balkh. In
936 A.H. Kuchum died (Ahsan and Jahan Ara; 937 a.h., Qipchaq
Kkan). He was succeeded by his son Abu Said, who was El^an till
he died in 939 or 940 a.h. Abu Sa‘id was something of a poet, writing
under the takhallui^ of Kuh-kan (Ta’€’ikh-i-badi‘a). After his death
the Ahsan says that his brother ‘Abdu’l-latif Elian, who was the Ruler

AHiSANTj’T-TAWSRiKH.

261

of Samarqand, took his place. But according to Qipchaq Khan there
was a quriltay in 940 a.h., and ‘Ubayd Khan was elected head of the
confederacy ; the Ahsan admits that ‘Ubayd’s name was on the coins
of all Transoxiana, and that ‘Abdu’l-latif’s name was put on the coins
only after 'XJbayd’s death. The fact appears to be that ‘Ubayd was
the most powerful and influential of the Uzbeks, and he usurped the
headship. After 'Ubayd’s death in 946 a.h. Kuchum’s son 'Abdullah
became Khan (Lubbu’t-tawarikh). But he only lived for six moaths,
and died in 947 a.h., after which 'Abdii’MatJf became undisputed
Khan; 'Ubayd’s son ‘ Abdu’l- 'aziz succeeding to 'Ubayd’s owm district
of Bukhara till his death in 957 a.h. In 959 a.h. 'Abdu’l-latif died
of dropsy. Meanwhile Jani Beg had died a natural death at Karmina,
and had been succeeded in that province by his son Iskandar. Jani
Beg's other son, Kaskan Qara, had also died at Balkh, and his place
had been taken by his brother Pir Muhammad. On 'Abdul-'aziz's
death in 957 a.h. Pir Muhamilad left Balkh and took refuge in
Bukhara, where he resisted an attack by Noruz Ahmad (better known as
Buraq Khan) son of Sunjuk Khan, who came from, and returned to,
his own province of Tashkand. In Bukhara the headship had remained
with ' Ubayd's family, for Burhan bin 'Abdu’r-rahim Khan bin 'Ubayd
Khan ruled there till he was turned out by Buraq Edian, at a date not
specified. This Buraq Khan succeeded in ousting many of his rela-
tions from their possessions — gaining, in addition to this own Tashkand,
Samarqand, Bukhara, Karmina, and Qarshi. He was assassinated in
963 A.H., and attacks were at once made upon his territory by the
neighbouring Chiefs, including Haqq Nazar Khan, the Ruler of the Qip-
chaq Plain.

After Buraq’s death the headship of the Uzbek confideracy was
given to Pir Muhammad of Balkh, but he was superseded almost at once,
though retaining his power at Balkh, by his brother Iskandar, whose
vigorous son 'Abdullah was destined to revive the glories of Shaybak
and 'Ubayd Khan. In 964 a.h. Sa'id bin Abu Sa'id bin Kuchum lOian
and 'Abdullah bin Iskandar attacked Buraq's son Darwish, and took
Samarqand from him, driving him back to his original province of Tash-
kand. They also seized Bukhara, where Burhan, who appears to have
recovered this town, had just been murdered.

In Iskandar’s time Yar Muhammad Khan, Lord of Astrakhan,
fleeing from Russian attack, came to Transoxiana, and was received
by Iskandar, who gave his daughter, Zahr Banu Khianam, to Yar
Muhammad's son Jani Muhammad Sultan (Ta’rikh-i-ba(h'a). From
this union three sons were born (Din Muhammad, Baqi Muhammad,
and Wall Muhammad). Iskandar did not die till 990 a.h. ; he was
succeeded by his son 'Abdullah, who had for long been the leading Uzbek
Chief. 'Abdullah died in 1006 a.h., and his son ' Abdu'l-mumin the

262

Ai^SANTj’T-TAWSEIKH.

year after. Then in 1007 a.h. the rule over Transoxiana passed to the
Astrakhan family represented by Baqi Muhammad.

(2) Durmish. This must be some person other than the Shamlu
Chief Durmish Khan. But T find no mention of any officer of 'Ubayd’s
named Durmish. Possibly we should read Darwish, who is mentioned
(p. 126) as being left at Herat by ‘Ubayd Khan in 943 a.h.

937, A.H.

(1) Kundamdn appears to be near Isfahan. The quarrel between
Husayn Shamlu and Choha Takalu, and the murder of Choha and ruin
of the Takalus, led, through the defection of Ulma Takalu, to the Turkish
war and Sultan Sulayman’s invasion of Azarbayjan. The chronogram
for the Takalu disturbance given in Tahmasp’s Diary is, oiT (937

A.H.).

(2) Imdmzdda Sahl ^Ali, This Imamzada was near Hamadan.

According to the Habibu’s-siyar Sh^h Isma‘il, soon after the death of
Muhammad Karra, visited Hamadan and raised a building and dome
over the tomb and made a garden there. It is not clear who

Sahl ‘All was. Several Sahls are mentioned in the Muntaha’l-arab,
but no Sahl ‘Ali is among them.

(3) Qidar Payghambar, or Qidar Nabi, is about 25 miles S.W. of
Sultaniyya. *

(4) Ulma Takalu. Ulma, or Ulama, Takalu — ''one Vlaman'’ in Le
Strange's '‘Don Juan of Persia ’’ — was a person who had been raised
from a low position (Jahan Ara) ; Shah Tahmasp, in his Diary, says
he was, in Isma^il’s time, a Yasawal, was raised to be Ishik AghasI
and made an Amir, and finally, was created Amiru’l-umara of Azarbay-
jan. Tahmasp records a list of his misdeeds after the Takalu disturbance.
According to the Sharafnama Ulma raised the flag of rebelhon at Tabriz,
appropriated the Royal treasure, collected money from the rich by force,
fled to Wan, and proposed allegiance to the Turkish Sultan. Thereupon
Amir Sharaf of Bitlis (grandfather of the author of the Sharafnama)
was ordered to go to Wan, and send Ulma and his family to Constan-
tinople. Amir Sharaf and Ulma met at the river Kharkum, and Ulma
invited Sharaf to Wan. But Amir Sharaf, hearing that Ulma was
treating with the Shah for peace, excused himself, and sent for Ulma’s
family. The people of Wan, however, would not let them go, nor would
they let Sharaf’s envoys enter the town. Sharaf, thinking it unwise
to attack Wan, took Ulma to Bitlis, and thence sent him to Turkey — an
act which greatly annoyed Ulma and made him complain to the Sultan
and ask that Sharaf should be turned out of Bitlis and he should be
made Governor of that town. The Sultan passed orders as Ulma wished,,
and appointed an army against Bitlis. JSfor were the gifts and remon-
strances sent by Amir Sharaf of any avail, for the Grand Wazir was

AHSANTl’T-TAWiEiKH.

263

against him on account of a horse, which had been taken in an attack on
the Pazuki Kurds and which the Wazir wanted but had been unable to
get from Amir Sharaf. Amir Sharaf strengthened his forts, and himself
fled to Tahmasp. Fil Ya'qub, Governor of Diyarbakr, and Ulma arrived
outside Bitlis, and besieged it (938 a.h.).

According to Hammer-Purgstall Ulma was eventually made Governor
of Bosnia. In 955 a.h. when Ilqas Mirza was sent ahead in the second
Turkish war Ulma was made his Lala.

(5) Sons of the sister of the late Shah. B. wrongly reads JsUj
i.e. Tahmasp. 'Abdi Beg Shamlu, killed in the fighting with the Kurds
in 912 A.H., and Qara Khan (brother of Khan Muhammad, killed at
Chaldiran) married sisters of Shah Isma'il.

938 A.H.

(1) Qara Tughuz Dara, apparently a valley near EJiuy. The

MSS. write the name in a variet^ji of ways ; Phillott’s Diary of Tahmasp
has and this may be the correct reading, for a place of this

name is shown in the S.B. of the Sahand

Mountains.

(2) Zu'lQadar Sultan. This must be, I think, Muhammad Zu’l-
Qadar, son of Blind Shah Rukh and grandson of 'Ala’u’d-dawla.

(3) Oirdylls. They are a Turkish tribe, who formerly occupied
parts of the country round the Gurgan river. They are mentioned
several times by Yate in "Kh-urasan and Sistan”. See also Rabino s
Mazandaran and AstarabM, pp- 12 and 78.

939 A.H.

(1) Zdwiya4-Karkh. Karkh is mentioned in the Nuzhatu’l-qulub
as a district of Taliqan, East of Qazwin.

(2) Amir Sultdn Rumlu. This was the author’s grandfather.

(3) Again Ulma attacked Bitlis. Fil Ya'qub and Ulma fled from
Bitlis at the approach of Tahmasp, leaving their kit and two guns.
There was a feast at Akhlat to celebrate the event, and Amir Sharaf
was made a Kkan and an Amir of Persia. Fil Ya'qub and Ulma, how-
ever, attacked Bitlis again in 939 a.h., when the Shah had left for
Elhurasan, and a battle was fought in which Amir Sharaf’s right wing
was under Amira Beg MahmudI, who deserted and joined Ulma (the
Ahsan calls the place where the battle was fought Kaki ; the Sharaf-
nama has Talig). Moreover Amir Sharaf was hit in the shoulder by a
musket ball, and killed ; and his men fled. Shamsu’d-din, his son, was
with the Sultan, and there were quarrels between him and Ulma — ^the
latter persisting in his demand for Biths which was the hereditary pos-
session of Shamsu’d-din’s family — one Sharaf Kurd being its Chief in
the days of Timur. Shamsu’d-din was offered Malatiya instead of

264

Ai^SAKU’T-TAWABiKH,

Bitlis ; but he did not accept this arrangement, and fled to Tabriz with
his family. We hear of him subsequently in the service of the Shah,
who gave him various districts. He married a daughter of Amir Khan
Mawsilu, and from this union was born, in 949 a.h. at Garmrud, or
some say Karahrud (Rieu), a village near Qum, Sharaf Khan the author
of the Sharafnama. This Sharaf Khan was brought up at the Persian
Court, for Tahmasp liked his young Chiefs to be brought up and educated
under his own control. In 961 a.h., he was given Saliyan and Mahmud-
abad under Shirwan, and made an Amir. Later on he married the
daughter of Muhammad Beg, Governor of Hamadan. He was engaged
in the operations in Gilan at the end of Tahmasp’s reign. When Isma‘il
II succeeded he fled to Turkey, and he was given his ancestral fief of
Bitlis, where he wrote the Sharafnama, completing it in 1005 a.h.
One of the three manuscript copies in the Bodleian appears to be the
actual copy made by the author. A translation in Prench (Pastes de la
Nation Kurde) was made by Oharmcjy and published in St. Petersburg
(Leningrad) in 1868 a.d.

(4) The Shah forbade, etc. — ^recorded also in the Jahan Ara, but
not mentioned in Tahmasp’s Diary, though there is a detailed account
of a dream, in which the Imams gave the King orders on certain matters.

940 A.H.

(1) Musa Sultan bin Tsa Beg Mawsilu had been appointed to the
Government of Azarbayjan in 939 a.h. (Jahan Ara). He appears to
have been trusted by Tahmasp (Sharafnama).

(2) Alanchiq — a fort near Nakhchiwan, where Rustam Beg was
confined till his release by Ayba Sultan. The fort was besieged by
Timur’s armies for ten years and at last captured in 803 a.h.

(3) Kabud Gumhad is Ray. There is another place of this name near
Kalat. Qard Aghdch (the Black Porest). See notes on the text. The
place is near Abhar.

(4) Eibdt4'Ddng. The Jahan Ara reads Ribat-i-Atabek. Ribat-i-
Dang is mentioned several times in this chronicle, but I do not find its
locality stated in the usual books of geographical reference available.
It is clearly on the road from Qum to Qazwin.

. (5) Was making for Baghdad. The account of the Turkish invasion
is very unsatisfactory. Sulayman’s journal gives his route in detail,
and is cited in Hammer- Purgstall’s History. It is as follows (omitting
smaller halting places) : — Left Scutari 28 Zil-hijja 940 a.h. (15th
June, 1534 a.d.) ; Kutahiya ; Qara Hisar ; Aq Shahr ; Qoniya (the
Grand Wazir reaches Tabriz) ; Arzinjan ; Qars ; Erzerum ; Arjish ;
Khuy; Tabriz; Aujan ; Miyana; Qizil Uzun ; Sultaniyya ; (Ulma leaves
for Tabriz) ; Mazian ; Darjuzin ; Qara Bvlaq Chayi ; Sayin Port ; Qasr-
i-Shirin ; Tughuz Ulum ; Baghdad ; (during the winter months news

AHSANU ’T-TAWAEiKH.

266

comes that the Shah had gone to Tabriz, had turned out the Turks, and
gone to Sultaniyya; later that Ulma was asking for help). Leaves
Baghdad in Shawwal (April) ; Sulukhan Chayiri ; Mian ; Khaskoi ;
Hanani Kindi ; Guzil Dara ; (Ulma reports that the Shah has left Van,
and that Sam Mirza has set out to render homage) ; Sitare ; Kil ; Khan
Kedughi ; Gundilan ; Tukan ; (Ulma rejoins the army) ; Saruja Qamish ;
Nao ; Arwari ; Sa‘adabad (Tabriz) ; (the march from Baghdad took 91
days) ; Aujan ; Khan Abbas ; (proclamation that the Sultan recognized
Sam Mirza as his son, and gave him all the country beyond the river
Qizil Uzun) ; Miyana : Qizil Uzun ; Edian Sar Jem ; Ohan Mkbai : Senghan ;
Sultaniyya ; Qidar Nabi ; Chorul ; Takht-i-Sulayman ; Dehne ; Darjuzin ;
thence back to Tabriz, via Nikbai Edian and Aujan ; (stays in a garden
near Shumb-i-Ghazan). Leaves Tabriz in the month of Safar (August) ;
Marand ; KLuy ; Band-i-Mahi ; Arjish ; Adiljawaz ; Akhlat ; (news that
Ulma has met and fought the Shah) ; Guzil Dara ; Bitlis ; Bashri (on the
Euphrates) ; Salakh Chayi ; Ay^r Chayi ; Amid ; Qarabagh ; (crosses
the Euphrates) ; Telhala ; Hailan ; Aleppo ; Antioch ; Bozuk ; Eski Shahr ;
Yeni Shahr ; Nicaea ; Nicomedia ; Constantinople (8th June, 1536 a.d.).

Shah Tahmasp appears to have recognized that he could not face
the main Turkish army. But he easily avoided it. He was always
ready for terms of peace, for which he made overtures when the Sultan
was at Tabriz (Sharafnama). Another point which is clear is the trea-
chery of Sam Mmza. The Sharafnama says that when Tahniasp was
besieging Wan, and had almost captured it, news came that Sam Mrza
had rebelled and the Sultan had appointed him Shah ; this information
caused Tahmasp to leave Wan for ‘Iraq. Tahmasp’s Diary (p. 34)
confirms this. In 941 a.h. when the Shah w^as at Sultaniyya Qazi-i-
Jahan, who had long been imprisoned at ilesht, came and was received
and appointed to the Diwan-i-a‘ala.

Besides insufficient forces, and lack of artillery, the Shah had to
contend with constant treachery. Many of the leaders of his Turki
troops could not be trusted to fight against the Sultan. The Jahan
Ara says that at the beginning of the campaign the Shah had only 3,000
horses fit to use.

(6) /SheJtk 'All bin 'Ahdu'l-'All aUMujtahid, The Jahan Ara gives
his name as Zajmu’d-din, and says he died at Kajaf. Browne (VoL IV,
p. 406) calls him Kuru’d-din.

(7) Qdzl Musdfir, was the Qazi of Tabriz (Habibu’s-siyar).

(8) Lisdnl, For this poet see Browne, Vol. IV, p. 235.

941 AM.

(1) Ohdzl Khdn Zu'UQadar was Governor of Shiraz since 939 A.H.,
and brother of Khalil w^ho was killed by Isma^iFs order after Chaldiran

266 ahsanu’t-tawarikh.

— ^to be distinguished from Ghazi Khan Takalu, whose treachery has been
recorded.

(2) Cast them before the Shah's horse. For a modern example of this
savagery see Vambery’s Life, p. 206, which describes the pouring out of
sacks of heads before the Khan of Khiva’s officer.

(3) Arjlsh (Plotemy’s Arsissa) on the northern shore of L. Wan.

(4) Khwdja Kaldn. For this old general of Babur and Humayun
see the Baburnama, Lane-Poole’s Babur, and other Indian histories*

(5) Istifzdr. See notes on the text.

(6) Alwand Khan Afshdr was the Governor of Kuh Giluya ; he was
put to death for sedition (Jahan Ara).

942 A.H.

(1) Fushanj — ^included by the Haft Iqlim among the towns of the
fourth Clime, and said to have beenjEounded by Bushang, son of Afrasi-
yab. The Nuzhatu’l-qulub says it was eight leagues from Herat, and
that the Pharaoh of Egypt in the time of Moses came from this town
(Le Strange’s translation, p. 151). It is now Ghuriyan.

(2) Muhammad Balflm. The name given elsewhere is ‘Abdu’r-rahim.

(3) Sultan Khalil of Shirwan married Pari Khanam, daughter of
Shah Isma'il (Habibu’s-siyar and Khwar Shah’s Ta’rikh-i-Ilchi-i-Nizam
Shah). Khalil was the eldest son of Ibrahim, or Shekh Shah, son of
Farrukh Yasar.

(4) Muzaffar Sultan, See note on Amira Dubbaj under 924 A.H. (2).
‘Abdu’l-fattah Fumani says he was put in a cage which was hoisted to
the top of the Rashidiyya minaret, and then he was shot, and his body
taken down a week later. The Sharafnama says the Muzatlariyya mosque ;
and he was covered with petroleum and burnt. Khwar Shah’s history just
mentioned states that Muzaffar was shipwrecked on the Shirwan coast
and received by Sultan Khalil, who, however, died shortly after. Khalil’s
widow, Pari Khanam seized Muzaffar and sent him to Tahmasp. After
Muzaffar had been put to death his widow went with her son to Tah-
masp, who gave her in marriage to Shah M'matullah.

(5) Ahll, Muhammad Ahli, born at Shiraz, and buried there,
after a life of more than eighty years, on the left of Hafiz, wrote three
ornate qa§idas in honour of ‘Ali Shir, Sultan Ya'qub, and Shah Isma'il
— also a masnawi knowui as Si^-i-halal, tracts on prosody, rhyme, and
the art of composing riddles. For a full list of his works see Sachau
and ilth6’s Bodleian Catalogue of Persian MSS., No. 1027.

943 A*H.

(1) Had suffered much at Nisd arj^d Ahlward. According to the
Jahan Ara the Persians marched to Nisa and Abiward, and thence

AHSANU’T-TAWAEiKH.

267

(suffering greatly from the cold) they marched to Marv, and took it ;
from Marv they went to Herat and Qandahar.

(2) Muh^ammad Khan, This is Din Muhammad. Elsewhere their
father’s name is given as Ulush, and by the Jahan Ara and Qipchaq
Khan as Anusha (see genealogical tree).

(3) Bdhrdm Mlrzd and Gildn. Kiya Khwar Kiya-i-Taliqani was a
Gilan Chief and the Wakil of Sultan Hasan at Tahmasp’s Court.
According to the Jahto Ara the cause of Bahram’s discomfiture
^s his action in imprisoning Hasan Agha Shamlu and Khwaja Tnaya-
tullah Wazir.

The account given by Khwar Shah is as follows : — ^Kar Kiya
Sultan Hasan, who succeeded to the throne of Biya Pish in 941
A.H., died in 944 a.h., leaving a small son, Khan Ahmad. The
Wakil Khwar Kiya obtained permission to return to Gilan, but found
the chief power there in the hands of a Gilan noble named Abu Sa'id
Bahadur, and he returned to Tabriz and appealed for help to Tahmasp,
who sent Bahram Mirza with Khwar Kiya to Gilto. These Chiefs
took Alamut fort and Lamsir. Khwar Kiya and Hasan Sultan (Hasan
Agha Shamlu) marched to Lahijan and drove out Abu Sa‘id. Khan
Ahmad, the baby prince, had meanwhile been secretly taken away to
the jungles. This was reported by the Lahijan people. Hasan Sultan,
thinking this was a trick of Elhwar Kiya, wrote accordingly to Bahram
Mirza, who advanced on Lahijan and seized Khwar Kiya and put him in
prison. These events excited the Gilarus who rose against Bahram Mirza,
and he had to flee, taking Khwar Kiya with him. Khwar Kiya died at
Taliqan.

Khan Ahmad appears on the scene later on. He was grandson of
a man of the same name, who was brother of Kar Kiya Mrza ‘Ali,
the friend of Shah Isma'il’s childhood at Lahijan. I do not give a
detailed genealogy of the Lahijan and Besht families, or a history of their
constant wars ; all this can be found in Rabino’s Mazandaran and
Astarabad, and in his two articles in the J.R.A.S., 1918, p. 85, and 1920,
p. 277.

Darydwuk, — Near Qazwin (Sharafnama).

944 A.H.

(1) Amir Qiwdmu'd-dln Nur Bakhsh, See note on Ummidi [929
A.H. (3)]. Muhammad Nur Bakhsh, the founder of the order of Nur-
bakhshiyya Sufis, was a native of Quhistan in Khurasan, who died
near Ray in 869 a.h. (Asar-i-‘Ajam, p. 68, note).

(2) Khwaja Kaldn is called in the Jahan Ara Malikzada-i-Khwaf.
TJstd is not, of course, the fgg^t taken by Isma‘il, but a place in Bakharz
(Sharafnama — ^which however writes Ustad).

268

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

945 A.H.

This year is not shown in A.

(1) Muhammad Sdllh. The Jahan Ara makes this man grandson
of Muzaffar Bitikchi, and adds that with his death the family became
extent. The Ta’rikh-i-Alam-Aray-i-Abbasi says he was son of Muzaffar
Bitikchi’s brother. The Sharafnama agrees with the Ahsan.

(2) ^ Umar Qhdzl Khan, son of Sultan Ghazi, and grandson of 11 Pars
Khan who became Ruler of Khiva in 916 a.h. See genealogical ipe,
and note (5), below.

(3) ‘Arabglrlu — of 'Arabgir, a town in the Kharput District.

(4) Qardbdgh. This is a town and district, constantly mentioned,
north of the Aras river and east of Nakhchiwan.

Mughdn is the tract south of the Aras, and of the Kur after it
receives the Aras.

(5) The sons of Sufiydn Khan. •See genealogical tree. As Lane-
Poole observes (Mohammadan Dynasties, p. 278) the history of the
Khwarazm Khanate is exceedingly obscure. I cannot quite follow the
succession which he gives. From the Jahan Ara and Ta’rikh-i-badfa,
and the occasional information given by the Ahsan, I give the following
unsatisfactory outhne, which may be read in conjunction with the
genealogical table.

Il Pars Khan took the province in 916 a.h., and held it till his death
in 923. He was succeeded by his son Sultan Ghazi, who reigned till
945, when he was put to death. But the province must have been
divided in Sultto Ghazi’s time, for the Jahan Ara mentions Sufiyan
bin Muhammad Amin as being in possession till 941, when he died.
In 945, Sultan Ghazi was killed, and disturbances, as narrated in the
Ahsan, followed — apparently mainly owing to the rivalry between
"Umar Ghazi, Sultan Ghazi’s son, and the sons of Sufiyan. "Umar
Ghazi fled to Tashkand, and got help from Buraq Khan, who was his
uncle. Buraq came with ‘Ubayd Kiian to Khwarazm. After the fighting
described, "Ubayd’s generals were heavily defeated by Din Muhammad
and the sons of Sufiyan at Hazarasp. As a result Abu Yusuf bin
Muhammad Amin was made King, and ruled till 956, being followed
by tJghatay (? A"tay, Akatay) his brother. In 961, Ughatay was over-
thrown by Yunus Khan bin Sufiyan after five years strife. Yunus
Khan, however, was shortly after defeated by Dust KJian bin Bujugha ( ?
the name is difficult to read). Three years later (964) Hajim Khan
succeeded. But meanwhile part of the province was held by "Ali Sultan,
brother of Din Muhammad and son of Anusha Khan bin Muhammad
Amin — "Ali at Khiva and Urganj, and Hajim EJian at Wazir. "Ali
SuRan held his own territory till his death in 973, when Hajim Khan
appears to have annexed the whole province. In his turn, however,

AHS ANXJ’t-TAW ABiKH .

269 ^

Hajim Khan was overthrown by 'Abdullah bin Iskandar, and he fled
to Persia with his sons — at what date is not clear. One of his sons,
Muhammad Quli Sultan, remained at the Persian Court till dOOl a.h.,
when he escaped back to Khwarazm.

(6) Urganj. There have been three Urganj towns in the Khwarazm
territory. The flrst city, known also as Gurganj, or Jurjaniyya, was
destroyed by Chingiz Khan and his Mongols. Near it was founded

P other city shown in Le Strange’s map (Lands of the Eastern Caliphate,
*447). Riza Quli Khan apparently calls this place y — ^New

Old Urganj. (Sifaratnama-i-Khwarazm, Schefer’s tex^, p. 94.) The
present town of Urganj is given in Schuyler’s map as situated between
Kh iva and the river Oxus. The town meant here seems probably to
have been the second of the three mentioned above. The present
Urganj is said in Muraviev’s Journey to Khiva to be the proper capital
of the country”, the map attached does not however show the town.
The present capital, Khiva, is offen called Khivaq ; Le Strange calls this
** the older spelling of the name ”. Muraviev also writes, “ The Natives
declare that the ancient name of this town was Khivak ”. But surely
Khivaq is simply the Arabicised form ; and Riza Quli Khan definitely
states this.

(7) Wazlr was situated six leagues north-west of Jurjaniyya; it is
supposed to be the town called Sellizure (Shahr-i-Wazir) by Antony
Jenkinson in the 16th century. It was possible to go from Urganj to
Wazir by water, and both these towns were ruined by the Oxus changing
its course about 1575 a.d. Wazir was the birth-place of 'Ubayd Khan
and the residence of Hajim Khan.

(8) Hazarasp is a town one stage east from Khiva. ' During the
siege of this town by Sultan Sanjar (1147 a.d.) there was a well-known
contest of wit between Anwari and Watwat (Browne, Vol. II, p. 309 ;
Riza Quli Khan, Sifaratnama, p. 83).

(9) 'All Ills — A Turkish tribe located near Andikhud. Vambery^
in an essay on the Turkmans, states that the Alili tribe remained in
the pay of the kings of Persia till the downfall of the Sefavis

946 A.H.

(1) Mahdl Quli Sultan Afshdr, for some years Governor of Shushtar,
is said by the Jahan Ara to have disregarded Tahmasp’s orders about
wine drinking. Haydar Sultan, who was sent against him, was his
cousin.

(2) 'Ubayd Khan, Vambery (Bukhara) writes "in the 56th year
of Jiis age”. The Ta’rikh-i-Qipchaqkhani says he was born at Wazir
in Turkistan in 892 a.h. — ^the same year as Shah Isma'il. This is also
confirmed by the Tawarikh4-badi'a (Bodleian MS. Ouseley, 269), which
adds that he was named after Sayyidul-abrar Khwaja ^'UbayduUah

270

AHSANtr’T-TAWABiKH.

Ahrar, and learned Nast'aliq writing from the famous penman Mawlana
Mir ‘All of Herat, and gives the following chronogram for his death

alJI jAt (=946 a.h.). Mirza Haydar Dughlat, a Sunni

writer, gives a different estimate of his character. “ He was a true
Musulman, religiously inclined, pious, and abstinent He was pre-
eminent for his valour and for his generosity In short, he was a king

endowed with every excellence, and during his lifetime, his capital
Bukhara, became such a centre of the arts and sciences, that one was
reminded of Herat in the days of Mirza Sultan Husain’'. (Ta’rjfc-i-
Rashidi, Elias and Ross, p. 285).

947 A.H.

(1) Hdjl Shehh Kurd, Haji Shekh bin Ibrahim was a Chief of
Baban. But he was no longer alive in 947 a.h., having been attacked
and killed by a band of Kurds when on his way to meet the Sultan in
941 A.H. (Sharafnama). He was ^cceeded by his son Budaq, who
ruled for sixteen years, and this Budaq must be the person here
intended. Budaq eventually fled to Turkey and joined Bayazid at Kuta-
hiya. His head was one of those sent by Bayazid to his father, Sultan
Sulayman, after the battle at Qoniya. Budaq’s son was another Haji
Shekh who accompanied Bayazid to Persia and was there put to death
by the Shah’s order.

(2) The Shah went against the Georgians, This is the first of the
four expeditions of Shah Tahmasp. The dates of these expeditions
given in the Ahsan are 947, 953, 958, and 961 a.h., corresponding to
1540, 1546, 1551, and 1553 a.d. Iskandar Munshi, in his Ta’rikh-i-
‘Alam-Aray-i-‘Abbasi, follows the Ahsan as to dates and as to many
details, and appears to have based his accounts on the Ahsan. Wakhusht,
the Georgian chronicler, places the four campaigns in 1536, 1548, 1553,
and 1558 a.d. Brosset (Histoire de la Georgie, Part II, Book I, p. 452)
gives reasons for preferring the Georgian chronicler’s dates. But Hasan-
i-Rumlu — ^not Iskandar Munshi — seems to me a better authority. He
was writing in 980 a.h. (1572 a.d.), and he teUs us that he was present
himself during the second expedition in 1546 a.d. ; perhaps he was in
the others too. Wakhusht (son of the later Georgian King Wakhtang
VI) did not complete his chronicle till the eighteenth century, and we
know little about his sources. The Jahan Ara agrees with the Ahsan.

(3) Tiflls, For a description of the city see Wardrop, The King-
dom of Georgia, p. 8. The name is supposed to be from the root ‘ tap ’,
to be warm, because of the hot medicinal springs in the place. Birtis
is said by Brosset to be Beratlu, but I cannot identify it, or Bargshat.
Didku, or Didgora, is a range of hills west of Tiflis.

(4) Malik Jahangir bin Malik Kdusi^ See note on the Gav Bara
Rulers of^Rustamdar, under 909 a.h. (4).

Ai^SAKU’T-TAWARiKH.

271

(5) Hasan bin Abu Isbdq of Rishahr. The Jahan Ara says that
Hasan, his brother Shah ‘Ali, and his father Mir 'Ali Ishaq, had been
promoted, and rebelled ; his province was given to Ibrahim Khan, son
of Kachal Beg Haji Lnr, made this year Governor of Shiraz.

(6) Bishahr, There were two towns of this name — one that now
well known near Bushire, and the other near Behbehan. It is not easy
to decide which place is intended here. For the former, see Curzon’s
Persia, Vol. II, p. 235, for the latter Le Strange (Translation of Kuzhatu’l-
qliub, p. 129, and note) ; and Lands of the Eastern Caliphate, p. 271.

(7) Ghdzl Khdn Zu'l-qadar. His death is put by the Sharafnama
in 946 A.H. Modern Persian authorities agree with the Ahsan (e.g.
Mirza Fursat’s Asar-i-^Ajam).

(8) ‘Ald’u’d-dawla Ismd'll, Governor of Dizful, was, presumably,
one of the Musha'sha^i family, mentioned under 914 a.h. (3).

(9) Jahangir of the Lesser Lurs was put to death by Tahmasp in
949 A.H., and was succeeded iSy his son Rustam. His other son,
Muhammad, was imprisoned at Alamut, and this Muhammad’s four sons,
^Ali Khan, Islamz, Jahangir, and Shah Virdi, organized pillaging expedi-
tions as far as Isfahan. After ten years at Alamut, Muhammad was
released on his engaging to produce his sons at Court, and he was brought
to Qazwin, and put under the charge of Husayn Beg Ustajlu. However,
he escaped, and joined his sons ; and Rustam was driven out by
Muhammad, who in the end placated the Shah and was recognized
(Sharafnama).

(10) The fort of Bay at — ^near Jangula in the Baghdad District
(Charmoy).

(11) Mardgha. Kasiru’d-din’s observatory, on a hill, north of
Maragha, was made by command of Hulagu. The famous tables (Zij-i-
Ilkhani) were published in Abaqa’s time.

Regarding Ghiyasu’d-din’s works, the Muhakamat (not Muhakat
as in the MSS.) are discussions between his father and Jalalu’d-din
Dawwani regarding theix commentaries on the Tajrid and Matali‘. Mirza
Fux§at (Asar-i-‘Ajam, p. 459) gives a rather different list of works by
Ghiyasu’d-din, omitting some of these given by our author, and adding
some others.

950 A.H-

(1) 950 A.H. All the MSS. omit 949 a.h. In the Jahto Ara
the Dizful expedition, and the arrival of the Uzbek envoys are put in
the year 949 a.h. In 950 a.h, according to both Jahan Ara and Sharaf-
nai]Q.a, Tahmasp feU ill at Nihawand under Hamadan. Ghazi Kh.an
Takalu was again suspected of treachery, and Ilqas Mirza, under orders,
put him and his brother Mustafa to death at Mahmudabad (Shirwan) ;
his youngest brother was also executed at Qazwin.

272

A^SANtr’T-TA-WSEiKH.

(2) Saraband — ^near Hamadan (Sharafnama). Charmoy doubts the

reading, and suggests Sarhadd ). But the MSS. all agree that

the word is

(3) Kalhurs. The Kalhurs were one of the four original Kurdish
tribes, the other three being Karmanj, Lur, and Guran. For details of
the Kurdish tribes see Charmoy’s ‘‘ Fastes ”, i.e. translation of the
Sharafnama and notes.

(4) War of the Turks and Georgians, The Georgian chro^cles
date this 1541 a.d., i.e. two years earlier than the date given here. The
later date may be that of the second battle. It appears that about
this time Bagrat of Imereth ruled over Samtzkhe. As a result of the
Turkish victories the province was handed back to Kaykhusraw, the
Atabeg of Samtzkhe.

(5) Amid, The MSS. have Hamid ; see notes on the text.

(6) Qdnlu Chamanl is on the rivftr Arpa — a tributary of the Aras.

951 A.H.

(1) The coming of Humdyun Padshah, This is described in most
Indian histories. All writers agree that Humayun was received and
treated with great honour outwardly. It is however usually believed
that Shah Tahmasp put a good deal of pressure on Humayun to become
a Shi^a, and attempted to make him and Bayram Khan wear the SujS
‘‘Taj The Sharafnama says that the Shah meditated treachery, and
even went so far as to attempt Humayun’s life: —

jJAyof dcJLoU^

Humayun’s visit to Ardabil is usually considered to afford proof that
he outwardly conformed to the Shah’s persuasion or command. He
was also obliged to agree to hand over Qandahar to the Persians.
After all he might reasonably be expected to make some return for the
valuable assistance that the Persians gave him. The failure of the
Mughal Emperors to perform the promise that Humayun gave about
Qandahar made that city a bone of contention between Shah and
Emperor for many a long year.

There is an interesting manuscript in the Bodleian Library, pur-
porting to be a copy of Shah Tahmasp’s Farman addressed to Muham-
mad ibian Sharafu’d-din, Beglarbegi of Khurasan. The MS. is dated
1194 A.H., and was perhaps copied in Lucknow. The Farman acknow-
ledges a letter from Muhammad IQian, sent by the hand of Kamalu’d-
din Shah Quli Bahadur, and received by the Shah on 13 Zi’l-Hjja 950
A.H. ; and issues orders for the proper reception of Humayun ; detailing

AHSANU’T-TAWAEiKH.

273

the presents to be given and the arrangements to be made. A continu-
ation *of the MS. says that Muhammad Sharafu’d-din met Humayun
at Pul-i-malan (which is a place of resort for Heratis and a place of pil-
grimage, four leagues south of the Jahan Ara garden, to which Humayun
was conducted on 1 Zi’l-qa'da 950 a.h.). After the Noruz Humayun
set out for Mashhad, via Jam, where Ahmad Sultan, Governor of Sistan,
left him. Near Mashhad Shah Quil Klhan Ustajlu, Governor of Mash-
had, met Humayun. Mashhad was reached 15th Muharram 951 a.h.
The further route was via Nayshapur, Sabzawar, Damaghan, Bistam
(Shekh Bayazid Bistami’s rawza visited), Samnan (tomb of Shekh ‘Ala’-
u’d-dawla Samnani at Sufiabad seen), Hay, Qazwin (stayed at the house
of the Kalantar 'Abdu’l-ghani, where the Shah formerly used to live).
The Shah had left for his summer quarters at Sultaniyya and Surluq,
and Bayram Khan was sent ahead. The Shah was camped between
Abhar and Sultaniyya, from where he sent Bahram and Sam Mirzas
to meet Humayun. In the first Jumada the Shah himself came to meet
the Emperor. Mirza Qasim Gunabadi wrote a masnawi for the occasion.
The two monarchs went together to Sultaniyya, and a great hunt ( )

was organized at Saruq Yaylaq. During the hunt Bahram Mirza,
who had a dispute with Abul-qasim Khulafa, took the opportunity
of shooting him, and the matter was hushed up and did not reach the
Shah’s ears. From there Humayun took leave of the Shah, and visited
Tabriz and Ardabil. He was met outside Tabriz at Amir Miranshah’s
dam, and outside Ardabil at Shamasi. From Ardabil he went to
Tarum, Khalkhal, Kharzawil, Sabzawar (where a daughter was born
to him), Mashhad (where Mawlana Hayrati wrote poetry in his honour),
and Sistan (where Prince Muhammad Murad Mirza and the Persian
Chiefs, who had been detailed to assist him, joined him). A list is given
of these Chiefs, as follows : — Budaq KKan Qajar (Lala of the Prince),
Shah Quli Sultan Afshar (Hakim of Kirman), Ahmad Sultan Shamlu
walad Muhammad Khalifa, Sanjab Sultan Afshar, Yar *Ali Sultan
Takalu, Sultan 'Ali Afshar, Sultan Quli Qiirchibashi, Sultan Husayn
Quli (brother of Ahmad Sultan), *Adham Mirza (son of Div Sultan),
Ha^^dar Sultan Uzbek Shaybani and his son, Maqsud Mirza (son of Zay-
nu’d-din Sultan Shamlu), Muhammadi Mirza (grandson of Mirza Jahan-
shah Turkman Qaraquyunlu, Shah Virdi Beg Kachal Ustajlu, Sultan
Chulaq (sister’s son of Muhammad Elhan), Yadgar Sultan Mawsilu,
Wall Sultan (son of Sufiyan Khalifa Htimlu), 'Ali Beg (killer of Zu’l-faqar).

The death of Abu’l-qasim Khulafa Qajar, the Shah’s chief Standard
bearer, is mentioned by the Jahan Ara, but that work states that he
was accidentally shot and died.

*(2) Shah Husayn bin Shujd' Beg Arghun, grandson of Amir Zu’n-
nun. The name is sometimes ^iven as Husayn and sometimes as Hasan*
The Baburnama says Hasan, but Gulbadan Begam Husayn.

274

AHSANU’T-TAWABiKH.

952 A.H.

(1) The House of God ( alJf i.e. the Ka'ba in the great mosque
at Mecca, or Mecca itself, which is commonly called in Persia to-day

iilA (the House of God).

953 A.H.

(1) Bakdill, I find Bakdilis among the list of Pars iliat. But
such names are to be found in many different tribes, and it is impossible
to be. sure to what clan this particular Bakdili belonged.

(2) Gabrs. See notes on the text ; and compare Gibbon (Oh. LXVIII,
note on Gabours) — '‘Gabour is no more than Gheber, which was trans-
ferred from the Persian to the Turkish language, from the worshipiDers
of fire to those of the crucifix (d’ Herbelot, Biblio. Orient., p. 375)”. The
Zafarnama commonly calls Hindus Gabrs.

This is the second expedition of Tahmasp against Georgia, and it
was apparently made in revenge ftr the devastation of Azarbayjan
by Lawand and Lawasan. These Chiefs, according to the Georgian
chronicles, attacked Azarbayjan while the Shah was otherwise engaged.
In this Iju, Shir Mazan, and Wakhusht had taken part, and for their
acts they were put to death when they fell into the Shah’s hands in
958 A.H.

(3) Kamalu'd-dln Ismd%L For this poet see Browne, Vol. II, p. 540.
He was tortured to death by the Mongols at Isfahan in 635 a.h. The
lines quoted are also quoted in the Zafarnama (Vol. II, p. 26).

954 A.H.

(1) Khundliq. According to Barbier de Meynard (Dictionaire geo-
graphique de la Perse, p. 212) Khunliq is a town of the pro%dnce of
Darband. The Samur river, falling into the Caspian Sea, forms the
northern boundary of Shirwan.

(2) Thence to Constantinople. Hammer-Purgstall says that Ilqas
went to Turkey via the Qipchaq Plain and the Black Sea.

(3) QUdq. This I take to be the Caucasus ; it is spelt 5

Sharafnama it is written In the Zafarnama (Vol. I, p. 742) I

find : —

(4) 'Ahdulldh Khan was son of Qara Khan the brother of Khan
Muhammad Ustajlu.

(5) Pdsin is the district east of Erzerum, containing the town of
Awanik.

(6) Humdyun^s war with Mlrzd Stdopjmdn. Sulayman was a son of
Khan My:za (Babur’s cousin). He was sent by Babur to rule Badakfi-

AHSANTj’T-TAWARiKH.

275

shan, where his father had ruled. “ Shortly after having been
acknowledged lord of Kabul, Humayun had set out for Badakhshan
to recover that tributary province, which, during the conflict betw’een
himself and Kamran, had been seized by its former ruler, their cousin
Mirza Sulaiman ” (Malleson).

(7) Nizdmu'l-mulk, i.e. Burhan, the second of the Nizamshahi
Kings of Ahmadnagar (914-961 a.h.).

(8) Flldn — '' ville et contree voisines de Bab-el-abwab (Derbend)

et du pays des Khazars de nos jours it est appele Korkandji ” (Bar bier

de Meynard, Diet, g^ograph., p. 431).

955 A.H.

(1) Sultan Sulaymdn^s coming with Ilqds, Sulaymto’s march is
given in his diary ; he came from Erzerum via Arjish, Band-i-Mahi,
Khuy, Suflyan, and Shumb-i-Ghazto, to Tabriz ; and marched back
via Shabistar, Tasuj, Salmas, Awanik, Wan, Band-i-Mahi, Arjish, ‘Adil-
jawaz, Melasgird, Bitlis, and Diyarbakr.

Malcolm writes : — Ilkhas entered into an alliance with the
Emperor of Constantinople, which encouraged Soliman to another
invasion of Persia The Sharafnama says Ilqas kept writing to Sultan
Sulayman saying that the Qizilbashes were disaffected, etc.

(2) Dogharl. The route is straight from Erzerum to Khuy altd
Tabriz.

(3) Chapanl, The MSS. read generally, but I think the

word is The surrender of Wan by Shah ‘Ali Sultan Chapani is

also mentioned in the Sharafnama. ‘‘Chapani” should be the name of
a tribe — ^possibly Kurdish, but I find no mention of any Kurdish clan
called Chapani in the Sharafnama or elsewhere. In one place Charmoy
reads “ Husaini ”, but in his note prefers “ Chapani ”.

(4) Guzil Dara — to be distinguished from the place of the same
name under Sultaniyya.

(5) ChamishguziJcl, Chamishguzik is a town on the Euphrates.

(6) U ch Killsd, (three churches) — a town in Armenia near Qaqizman,
with a renowned Armenian convent ; the place is the scene of events
in Morier’s “ Haji Baba ”.

(7) Darwlsh Muhammad was the son of the Hasan Beg killed in
930 A.H.

(8) Yazdikhdst or Izadkhwast, is now a large village on the Shiraz
Isfahto road, famous for its extraordinary situation in the middle of a
deep ravine, so that it is hardly visible till one is right upon it. It is
illustrated in Malcolm’s history, and in Curzon’s Persia, which contains
a fulT description of it.

(9) Band’i’Amlr or Band-i-^‘Azudi. (‘' Bendemeer’s stream ”, Moore)
-#a dam on the Kur river built by the Buwayhid P^^uler of Ears, ^Azudu’d-

276

a^sanu’t-tawarikh.

dawla (338-372 a.h.) and repaired in the 6th century a.h. by the Atabeg
Fakhru’d-dawla Chauli. See also the Persian J-'aLo

p. 92. The White Fort ( Axlil ) was a league distant from the town
of Nawbanjan, N.W. of Shiraz. It was taken by Timur in 795 a.h.

(10) The Mamasenl are a tribe of Pars Nomads, dwelling chiefly
in the Shulistan District, but also to be found round Shapur.

(11) €himbad4’Qdbus, For a description of the ruins see Yate’s
Khurasan and Sistan, pp. 239-242. It was built about the end of the
fourth century of the Hijra by Amir ShamsuT-Ma'ali Qabus bin Washm-
gir, Prince of Tabaristan, and grandfather of the author of the Qabus-
nama.

(12) Ashbdr. Appears later on as Ashar (A. ) ; its exact

locality is unknown to me ; probably it is Ashiyar in Gharjistan, taken
by the Mongols in 1223 a.d. (Barthold, Turkestan, p. 455).

(13) Bdkharz — the district W. and S.W. of Turbat-i-Haydari.

(14) PuUi-Khdtun — about 80 fniles east of Mashhad, where the
Kashf river joins the Hari Rud. There was another Pul-i-Khatun near
Tehran, built in memory of Zubayda wife of Harunu’r-rashid. (Lands
of the Eastern Caliphate, p. 218).

(15) Hdjl Beg Dumball. The Chief of the Dumbali Kurds was made
Governor of Khuy by Tahmasp. The headquarters of the Dumbalis
Vas at Sukmanabad, a canton of Khuy; that of the Mahmudis at
Khushab, south-east of Lake Wan.

(16) Ballldn, The Balilans were a Kurdish tribe settled near Lake
Wan.

(17) Sharif 4‘Tabrlzl was a pupil of Lisani of Shiraz, to whom the
author of the Atash Kada considers him superior in art. See Browne,
Vol. IV, p. 236.

956 A-H.

(1) Surhhdb Kurd, Surkhab and Biga were two of the three sons
of Ma’mun Kurd of Ardalan. Biga Beg, after a long reign of more than
forty years, died about 950 a.h. His son Ma’mun succeeded, but was
captured by Sultan Sulayman’s officers, and his principality (Shahrizur
and Zalam) was taken by his uncle Surkhab, who added it to his own
share. According to the Sharafnama Ilqas asked Surkhab to intercede
with Tahmasp for him and get him Shirwan again. However the Shah
sent Ni^matullah Quhistani and others, and they brought Ilqas, who
was sent to Qahqaha, and was next year (RabiT 957 a.h., Jahan Ara),
by the Shah’s orders, thrown from the fort, and killed. In his Diary
Tahmasp says that he was murdered by certain persons whose fathers
he had killed. The Sharafnama adds that Tahmasp agreed to pay
Burkhab a thousand tumans a year for his services, and did so.

(2) ^he Qulzum Sea, i.e. the Caspian ; see notes on the text.

AHSANTj’T-TAWARiKH.

277

(3) Tabit Agha, i.e. Kamalii’d-din Tabit Agha (Khwar Shah).

(4) Sulaymdn Beg Kurd. The description is insufficient for the
identification of this Sulayman.

(5) DdwiU, on the Aras river, near Mt. Ararat.

(6) Bahrain Mlrzd was born 923 a.h. ; Ilqas 922 a.h. ; Tahmasp
919 A.H. ; Sam Mirza 923 a.h. According to the Jahan Ara Bahram
Mirza, when Governor of Hamadan and Khuzistto in 953 a.h. was
reported to be disaffected. There were similar reports about Muhammad
Khan of Herat. Both came to Court and removed the Shah’s doubts.
Sam Mirza appears to have died about the same time as Tahmasp ; I
do not know why Ethe says he died young (p. 213, Catalogue B.L,
Persian MSS.). Iskandar Munshi says he was sent to Qahqaha and died
there.

957 A.H.

(1) Burdq or Koruz Ahmad, son of Sunjuk Khan and therefore
cousin of Shaybak.

^Abdu^ldatlf, son of Kuchum Khan, and another cousin of Shaybak
Khan.

(2) Shdh-i-zinda. This may possibly be the grave of Khwaja
^Abdullah Ansari ; if so, see Mrs. Beveridge’s note on p. 305 of the Babur-
nama, and Beale’s Oriental Biographical Dictionary. There is a better
known Shah-i-zinda in Samarqand (see Baburnama, p. 75, and Schuyler’s
Turkistan, Vol. I, p. 247).

(3) Biga Ardaldn. As already observed Biga Beg died about
950 A.H. ; the name is therefore used in error, or perhaps as a dynastic
name. Biga, Surkhab, and Muhammad, were the three sons of Ma^mun
Kurd of Ardalan. On the death of Biga Surkhab had seized Shahrizur
and Zalam, His brother Muhammad got Turkish assistance for an
attempt to get these forts from Surkhab. And Surkhab applied to the
Persians. The fighting that followed is what is here described. Biga
must be Muhammad bin Ma‘mun. The river Tulwar is not given in the
maps. I found it mentioned in the Habibu’s-siyar as the scene of
hunting, or fishing, during a march of Isma'il from near Hamadan to
Maragha. Also, in another place, as passing through the districts of
Sawa and Hamadan — ^

(4) Zalam — ^written ^ , and Charmoy states that

it was the name of a hill fort near Shahrizur, named from which
is a plant growing there used for the preparation of a certain aphrodisiac.

(5) Tarhur and MarMr. Tarkur was a district near Julamarg.
Markur may perhaps be an er»or for Markawa ( or ), a Sanjaq
of Shahrizur,

278

AHSAlsru’T-TAWARiKH.

958 A.H.

(1) The Shah’s expedition to ShaJd. According to the Georgian
Chronicles Darwish Muhammad (son of Hasan Beg of Shaki, killed in
930 A.H.) and Lawasan got Lawand to join them against the Shah.
But Tahmasp managed to detach Lawand from this alliance, and Lawand
came to Qara Bagh, and was received and sent with Persian forces
to Shirwan. But he was overcome by Darwish Muhammad. The
Chronicles date this 1548 A.D., i.e. 956 a.h. Shah Tahmasp then
marched on Shirwan. Darwish Muhammad attacked the Persians, but
was defeated and besieged in Gulistan fort. Lawand was sent to carrj^
on the siege, and he caught Darwish Muhammad when he tried to escape
from the citadel, and brought his head to the Shah, who rewarded him
and let him return to Kakheti (Brosset). Kusa Par Quli who actually
caught Darwish Muhammad, is called in the Sharafnama Kusa Pir
‘Ali”, and in the Jahan Ara "‘Kusai^Sar Quli”.

(2) Third expedition to Georgia (958 a.h., 1551 a.d.). The Georgian
Chronicles put this in 1553 a.d., and say that the places taken were
Thmogar, Wan, Aspindza, Warentha, and all the citadels of Samtzkhe,
which the Shah gave to Kaykhusraw. lju. Shir Mazan, and W'akhusht,
surrendered, and were killed ; and Amowan (Aman Beg) was taken
prisoner (Brosset). The Tah’ikh-i-‘Alam-Aray-i-'Abbasi follows the Ahsan
as usual, though, there are differences in the names of places. It appears
to read Ardanuj for Ardanuh.

(3) Azndwars — see notes on the text.

(4) An ambassador came from the King of Portugal (1550-51 a.d.).
John III (1502-1557 a.d.) was the King of Portugal ; it was a period when
Portuguese embassies were sent far and wide. This embassy is also-
mentioned as a noteworthy event in the Sharafnama. The Sharafnama
adds that this year plague broke out in the Qizilbash camp.

959 A.H.

(1) Ma'sum Beg Safawl is prominent from now till his murder by
the Arabs. He was originally Mutawalli of Ardabil, and was, according
to the Silsilatu’n-nasab, a grandson of the brother of Shekh Haydar
(Isma'Il’s father).

(2) Shamsu’d-dln Khan, the father of the author of the Sharafnama.

(3) KhaMf ad- Ansar. The name of this person, who is frequently
mentioned, appears to be nowhere given. He was Governor of Qaraja
Dagh (Sharafnama). Charmoy translates ‘le Khalifa des chretiens

(4) Bukhti. The Biikhtis were a Kurdish tribe of Diyarbakr and

(5) Wan, etc. These towns are all cloSe together ; Kawash and Albaq,
were fortarof the Hakkari Kurds ; Khushab, the centre of the Mahmudis.

AHSANTj’T-TAWARiKH.

279

(6) Baydt. Malcolm has a long note on the Turkish tribe of Bayat
(Tide Vol. II, p. 218).

(7) Bitlls, or Bidlls. For a picturesque description of Bitlis, see
Mrs. Bishop’s ‘Journeys in Persia and Kurdistan’, Vol. II, p. 350.
According to the Sharafnama the legend ran that Alexander had some-
thing growing out of his head, like a cow’s horn ; and the physicians
could not cure it. When he stayed at the place where Bitlis is, it grew
better, and he ordered his slave, one Bidlis, to found a city and a fort
there, so strong that he, Alexander himself, could not take it. Amir
Sharaf of the Ruzaki clan of Kurds — so called because it was formed
' in one day’ from an amalgamation of twenty-four small Kurdish ‘'qa-
bilas ’ — ^was hereditary chieftain of Bitlis.

Of other literary men belonging to Bitlis, we have already mentioned
Mawlana Idris son of Husamu’d-din, the author of the Hasht Bihisht.

(8) Kahir ^Isd. A reads (Gabr.). It is doubtful whether

all these Chiefs were taken, or wlfether there is an omission in the MS.,
and some were killed and the ones last mentioned captured.

(9) PaMawdn Qull Sultan — one of the sons of Sufiyan Khto bin
Muhammad Amin : see genealogical tree.

(10) Hdjim Sultan, i.e. Haji Muhammad bin Ugutay Khan

bin Muhammad Amin (see genealogical tree). He succeeded, about
tins time, as Ruler of Khwarazm. See note on 945 a.h. (5). The name
TJgutay is doubtful. It reads ^ Lane-Poole says

‘ Akatay ’ ; Vambery, Agatai.

960 A.H.

(1) Sultan Mustafa, The Jahan 5ra says that Rustam, the Grand
Wazir, fearing Mustafa, poisoned the Sultan’s mind and caused him to
order his son’s death, just as he was setting out for Persia.

(2) Qdzi4~Jahdn, born 11th Muharram 888, died 17th Zi’l-hijja
960 A.H. (Jahan Ara), and buried at the Imamzada of Shahzada Husayn
at Qazwin. According to the Atash Kada (in a passage dealing with
his son Mirza Sharaf) he was a descendant of a Sayyid Sayfu’d-din,
who was well known in the days of the Ilkhan Uljaytu, and was one of
the Husayni Sayyids of Qazwin. His name does not appear in any
of the authorities that I have been able to consult ; he is always simply
called Qazi-i- Jahan.

(3) Shahzada Busayn. This is a shrine in Qazwin, belonging to
Husayn infant son of the Imam *Ali bin Musa ar-Riza. It is mentioned
in the Ta’rikh-i-guzida and the Nuzhatu’l-qulub and other w’orks (see
Le Strange’s translation of the Nuzhat, p. 64).

961 A.H.

(1) The Turks conquer Shahrizur, According to this accoxmt the
first attack on Shahrizur by ‘ Usman, Pasha of Aleppo, was ui^successful.

280

AHSANXT’t-TAW AKiKH .

The Sharafnama says that Zalam was relieved by forces under Husayn
Beg sent by Tahmasp. But Usman afterwards took Shahrizur, as
related further on. Since then it has been Turkish territory — till lately.

(2) Bazar CJidyl (Chayi=river) is a tributary of the Aras.

(3) Ulfi. The MSS. readings are various. tJlti is about 50 miles
W. of Qars.

(4) Fourth expedition to Georgia (961 a.h., 1553 a.d.). According
to Iskandar Munshi, after the peace with Turkey, part of Georgia was
left to the Turks, and part to the Persians — Karthli being in the Persian
sphere. Louarsab (Lawasan), who had fled to the hills, sought occasion
to return to his own capital, and made attacks on the Tiflis country.
This led to Tahmasp’s expedition against him, and the attack on Gori
was followed by the siege of Markandub — Martqoqh (Brosset), Mazrut
(Ahsan). Pharsadan Beg, the commandant, surrendered. Other details
follow the Ahsan. Wakhusht dates this expedition 1558 a.d. The
fort, the name of which is omitted iA the Ahsan, is called Amadiin the
Ta’rikh-i-Alam-Aray-i-‘Abbasi. Brosset quotes Dorn as identifying
the place with Ateni.

(5) Barda\ Barbier de Meynard says this place is nine leagues
from Ganja. It was the chief town of the province of Arran. It is
given among the towns of the fifth clime in the Haft Iqlim. It was
attacked by Timur after crossing the Kur river in his Georgian expedi-
tion of 788 A.H.

(6) Marlwdn — about 50 miles W.N.W. of Sinna on the Perso-
Kurdish border.

(7) Sulaymdn Shah bin Shir Shdh. The MSS. seem to have got
this name wrong : it was Islam Shah who died this year, after a reign
of nine years. — Shir Shah, his father, having died in 952 a.h. The
Gujarat sovereign was Mahmud Shah III, who succeeded in 944 a.h.
The Nizamshahi monarch was the Burhan mentioned above ; he had
reigned since 914 a.h. ; this dynasty is known as Bahri, so that there
is no reason to doubt the reading Bahri, as Browne does in quoting
Qasim’s lines (Vol. IV, p. 169).

(8) Mawldnd Hayratl of Astarabad has been mentioned as the poet
who was patronized by the unfortunate Muhammad Salih, also as VTiting
verse in honour of Humayun at Mashhad. He is mentioned in most
biographies of poets, e.g. Safina, Khazana-i-'Amira. The Haft Iqlim
agrees as to the date of his death, but the Atash Kada says 970 a.h.,
and the Safina 989 a.h.

962 A.H-

(1) TJhd, The first syllable is pointed with Zamma in the Bodleian
Sfiarafnama. He was Chief of the Ukhilu tribe of Turkmans.

(2) Hjimdyun’s war with Sultan Iskandar, Iskandar was in possession

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

281

of the Punjab ; for his history and the fighting between various claimants
for the rule over northern India see the standard Indian histories.

(3) Married Prince Ismd%l. See notes on the text. The Sharaf-
nama says : —

^yOjS ^

(4) 'All Tdtl Ughall, now made Governor of Shiraz, had been
appointed to Mashhad in 958 a.h. (Jahan Ara).

(5) Amir Timur Gurgdn. The title Gurgan indicates connection

by marriage with the house of Chingiz Khan. It is the equivalent of
‘ damad ’ ; it was given to Timur because he married Turkan Khatun,
sister of Amir Husayn, Prince of Turkistan. Charmoy quotes the
authority of ^Ali Shir Nawa^i for the statement that the w’ord is written
with two Persian ‘g’s. The Ghiyasu’l-lughat writes see

however the long note in Elias’ ^a’rikh-i-Rashidi, pp. 278—280. Timur,
in fact, married two women who were of the house of Chingiz Khan.

(6) Mawldnd Qdsim Gdhl was a Sayyid of Samarqand, whose name
was Najmu’d-din Muhammad, and ‘ kuniyat ’ Abu’l-Qasim. According
to the Haft Iqlim he entered the service of the poet Jami when fifteen
years of age. Later he went to India, and settled at Penares, w’hence
he proceeded to Agra, where he lived and died, commonly believed to
be a hundred and ten years old at his death. He was an athlete and
musician, as well as a poet, and so well thought of by the Mughal Court
that orders were passed that he should be paid Rs. 1,000 w’henever he
came to Court. Gahi (Kahi ?) seems clearly a place name : perhaps of
some village near Samarqand. The chronogram giving the date of
Humayun’s death, which is quoted in the text, is one of the best known
chronograms we have.

(7) Bayrdm Khdn Bahdrlu, According to the writer of the Bodleian

MS. mentioned in connection with Humayun’s visit to Persia Bayrto
(bin Sayf ‘Ali Beg bin Barik Beg bin Pir ‘Ali Beg bin ‘Ali Shukr Beg)
was made a Khan by Humayun for the skill he showed in certain feats
of archery ( h (j^' ) before the Shah. The tribe

of ‘All Shukr Beg was the Baharlu— a branch of the Black Sheep Turk-
mans. When Mirza Jahtoshah was defeated by Uzun Hasan (m 871
A.H.) ‘Ali Shukr Beg’s sons fled from Hamadto to Khurasan, and Pir
‘Ali joined Mirza Abu Bakr bin Mirza Sultan Abu Sa‘id, who was soon
after defeated, captured, and put to death by Sultan Husayn. Pir All,
accompanied by his son Barik, went from Khurasan to Badakhshan, and
took service with Sultan Mahmud bin Sultan Abu Sa‘id. Later

‘Ali Beg joined Babur, and his son Bayram was born at Kabul. Barik
Beg is called Yar ‘Ali Beg Balal by Babur (Baburnama, p. 91) ; he was
grandfather of Bayram Khto (p. 109).

282

AHSANU’T-TAW^RiKH.

Among the deaths of 962 a.h., the Ahsan (naturally perhaps) does
not mention Amir Yahya bin ‘Abdu’l-lafif al-Husayni al-Qazwini, the
author of the Lubbu’t-tawarikh, who died in prison (as a Sunni) at
Isfahan, aged 77.

963 A.H,

(1) Fort Kush; perhaps the Kish fort mentioned before; exact
locality unknown to me.

(2) Lawdsdn , . , , died (963 a.h., 1555-56 a.d.). This is a couple
of years before the date given in the Georgian Chronicles (1558 a.d.).
There the person who killed Lawasan (Louarsab) is called Zirak. Brosset
writes (from the Georgian Chronicles) : — '' Comme Louarsab se precipitait

. sur un autre ennemi, son cheval heurte centre une asperite du sol, et
il roule avec sa monture. Alors un Persan, nomme Zirak, frappe le
roi d’un coup de sabre et le blesse grievement, tandis que le Georgiens
exterminaient completement leurs adjversaires. ’’

(3) Qaldfi (or Qalhati), i-e. from Qalhat on the coast of Arabia —
visited by Barbosa the Portuguese traveller early in the fifteenth
century. (Vide Wilson, Early Spanish and Portuguese Travellers in
Persia).

(4) Darydwuk — ^near Qazwin. For the events connected with
Prince Ismail, see below [984 a.h. (5)]. In addition to the events of
963 A.H. recorded here, the Jahan Ara and Sharafnama both state that
Sultan Ibrahim Mirza, son of Bahram Mirza, was married to Gohar
Sultan Khanam, the Shah’s daughter, and was sent to Khurasan to
govern Mashhad and Tus. The ‘ repentance ’ of the Chiefs is mentioned
by all three histories, and the verses which commemorate it.

(5) Burdq Khan, Vambery strangely says that Buraq was son of
Mahmud bin Yunus Khan Chaghatay.

(6) Shdhrukhiyya. The town of this name is said to have been

founded by Timur in 794 a.h. near the site of the ancient Binakat
(Fanakat) in honour of his son Shah Kukh (Zafarnama, Vol. II, p. 636).
Miyankal is the province between Bukhara and Samarqand, which in-
cluded the town of Karmina. Babur (Baburnama, p. 76) says that on
the north of Samarqand are Tashkand and Shahrukhiyya— Shash and
Binakat, In the Zafarnama we find : — [yT ^6 ^

j (Calcutta Ed., Vol. I, p. 166).

The Shahrukhiyya district was the territory stretching from near
modern Tashkand to some point north of Samarqand.

(7) Rashid Khan, i.e. ‘Abdu’r-rashid bin Sultan Sa‘id bin Sultan
Ahmad bin Yunus EJian, after whom the Ta’rikh-i-Ilaslndi is named.

(8) Mir Shamsu’d~dln Asadulldh was, according to the Jahan Ara,
boi?h 888 A.H,, and died this year at Tabriz,, and was buried at Mashhad.
He left a son, Mir Zaynu’d-(hn ‘Ali, in charge of the Sadarat.

AHSANU’t-TAWAPvIKH.

283

(9) The Lord of Command, i.e. the last Imam, vfho is to reappear
some day.

964 A.H.

(1) Haydar Beg Anls bin Ustad Shekhi Tubchi (gunner) is mentioned
as a poet in the Safina. Both Qazi and Gunner’s son died at Alamut
(Jahan Ara).

(2) ^Abdullah Khan was grandson, not son, of Jani Beg ; his father
being Iskandar bin Jani Beg. Vambery describes him as, ‘‘A man w’ho
well deserves the title of the greatest of the Sheibanides”.

(3) Burhdn Sa%d. Vambery says “he -was treacherously murdered
by a certain Mirzaki Kushdji (bird catcher) There have been several
instances in this Chronicle of the prevalence of this disgusting vice among
the Persian and Turk! Chiefs of this time. See Baburnama, p. 45.
However the Ta’rikh-i-badi’a gives a somewhat different version. It
says that Burhan reigned for six years in Bukhara ; the Chiefs, dis-
gusted at his cruelty, sent Mirza Agha Qushchi to the palace, and he
with other young men, enticed Burhan out and attacked him. Burhan
tried to climb back into the castle, but fell and was killed (964 a.h.).

(4) Dust Khan. See genealogical tree, and note on 945 a.h. (5).

h) Kdmrdn Mirzd. According to the Haft Iqlim the Chaghatay

nobles represented that sedition would not stop till Kamran was killed.
To satisfy them Humayun had him blinded. He left an only son,
Abu’l-Qasim, who died in prison at Gwalior in 973 a.h., as indicated
by the following ^ See also the account of

Kamran’s^ blinding in the Humayunnama of Gxilbadan Begam (Mrs.
Beveridge’s translation, being Vol. XIII, Oriental Translation Fund,

p. 201).

965 A-H.

(1) A flood at Qazwln. The Ta’rikh-i-guzida says that Qazwin
was liable to floods owing to the river which flows through it.

(2) Mawldnd Mulptasham died 996 a.h., as stated, with authorities,
by Ethe (Persian MSS. of the India Office, No. 1447).

(3) Murder of Uhd, The Ta’rikh-i-‘Alam-Aray-i-‘Abbasi states
that the woman was married to Uba against her wish,

(4) Shehh Zaynu'd^dln Jabal ‘Amill—oi Jabal ^Amil in Syria. See
Browne, Vol. IV, p. 360. Zaynu’d-din is called by the Jahan Ara the
Shah’s 'Pish Namaz’. Jabal 'Amil is near Damascus.

(5) 8helch4^shaUd, i.e. Shekh Shamsu’d-dln Muhammad ; vide
notes on the text.

966 A.H.

(1) Sultan Bdyazld. Hammer-Purgstall says that Bayazid annoyed
his father by certain acts of insubordination, and the Sultax^ considered

284

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

it unsafe to leaVe him at Kutahiya, which was regarded as the^ key to
Syria and Egypt, and ordered his transfer to Amasia. The account
given by -the Ahsan is corroborated in the main by the Sharafnama and
Jahan Ara, although the former makes no mention of a battle near
Qoniya. It would appear that Bayazid’s letter after the battle was not
allowed to reach the Sultan. Regarding subsequent events the Jahan
Ara and Sharafnama support the Ahsan as to Bayazid’s alleged x^lotting
against the Shah. It is fair to add that Bayazid’s force appears to have
been formidable. The Sharafnama says there were nearly 10,000 men.
But Hammer-Purgstall says that there were treacherous designs to excite
the Shah’s fear, and make him more ready to hand over Bayazid. Thus
Muhammad 'Arab, who, according to the Jahan Ara, was a Trebizond
Shi'a who had been sent to Mazandaran, treacherously whispered to
Tahmasp, '' Beware of a son, who' has betrayed his father ; he is capable
of shooting you too ”. This view of the case certainly seems likely to
be true. It is hard to imagine whal? Bayazid could expect to gain by
treachery towards the Shah. His correct move was plainly to conciliate
his host, and ingratiate himself. But Tahmasp was a mean and cowardly
man. The author of the Jahan Ara was in Qazwin, and saw the first
meeting of the Shah and Prince from the roof of a house. He observed
how Tahmasp trembled and repeated the " Ayatu’l-Kursi”, w^hen he
‘Saw himself among the Turkish troopers, while his own qurchis were two
arrow flights away. It would take very little to make the Shah commit
the act of surrender. Even apart from any personal fear for his own
life, he was afraid of the Sultan and very ready to fall in with his vishes.
He saw the possibility of some substantial reward for his services.
Hammer-Purgstall says that the Shah several times asked for Baghdad
for his son in return for the surrender of Bayazid. The Sharafnama
says that, when Bayazid was handed over to 'Ali Pasha of Mar 'ash,
Tahmasp said, ^'I expect some kindness for the service I have rendered
for the Sultan’s sake ” ; by which he meant Baghdad for his son Haydar
Mirza. Tahmasp ’s Diary confirms this.

Bayazid was in captivity in Qazwin for two years. When he and his
■sons were killed their bodies were buried, by the Sultan’s order, at Siwas.
The chronogram for the murder is particularly neat — ^ ^

("five from 'the Turks’ ”)=974 — 5=969 a.h. The Sharafnama says that
Bayazid and his sons were put to death in the Maydan-i-Asb in Qazwin,
in the very place where, a few years later, several sons of Tahmasp were
executed by Isma'il II, Presents given to the Shah in this occasion
were 4,00,000 florins from the Sultan, 1,00,000 florins from Salim, which
were equivalent to 30,000 tumans.

%7 A.H.

(1) Ohdshnlglr, The text seems to read Chashmi Gabr, but

AHS anu’t-taw A rIkh . 285

I think it must be Chashnigir as it is in the Jahan Ara and Sharafnama.
Chashnigir=' taster

(2) Sdru QurqMn. I find no other mention of this Uzbek Chief.

(3) ^Isd Khan. The Jahan Ara gives the following chronogram : —

jf Aiy (967 A.H.). The Sharafnama says that Tsa

was Governor of Zakam, and when he was converted he was given ShakL
According to the Georgian Chronicles Tsa was sent by Lawman his father
to the Shah in 1558 a.d., and (on his conversion) was given the daughter
of Sam IVIirza.

Under this year the Sharafnama records the deaths of Hasan Beg
Yuzbashi, and Husayn Beg Ustajlu. Bor the latter the chronogram
was he was a tyrant.

968 A.H.

(1) Mlrzd Sharaf, son of Qdzl-i- Jahan. See remarks on Qazi-i-
Jah?an. A poem by Sharaf is qfioted in the Atash Kada.

(2) Rustam Pdshd was a Croat ; he was twice Grand Wazir, being
superseded by Ahmad Pasha in 1553 a.b., and again appointed on
Ahmad’s execution in 1555. His successor, ‘All Pasha, died in 1565 a.b.,
and was followed by Muhammad SokoUi (assassinated 987 a.h.).

969 A.H.

(1) Sultdnam, or Mihin Banu, was the princess who interceded for
Humayun. She was buried at the Imamzada Husayn.

Others who died this year, according to the Jahan Ara, were Sunduk
Beg QurchJbashi (over 90 years old) and Yadgar-i-Muhammad Beg
Tarkhan Mawsilu bin Marjamak Sultan bin Amir Khan, Governor of
Sawa.

970 A.H.

(1) 'Isd Khan. The Jahan Ara says Tsa was tempted to return
to the Christian faith by Aznawars who were w’ont to drink wine and
eat the flesh of swine

(2) Ashrafls. These are the “florins”, mentioned in the note on
Bayazid above. ‘‘ The Ottoman florin was a gold coin of the approximate
value of 9 shillings ” (Gibbs, quoted by Browne, VoL III, p. 423, note).

971 A.H.

(1) Sultdn Mahmud Khdn, Governor of Balcar. Mahmud was a
foster-brother of Shah Husayn Arghun; Bhakkar, a fort in the Indus
opposite the town of Sukkur, then the chief town of Upper Sind.

(2) Khdnish Khdnam was born, according to the Jahan Ara, in
912 A.H., and married to ^hah Ni'matullah. Her body was taken
to Karbala, but not buried there, owing to certain difficulties,^ but brought

286

ahsanu’t-tawaeIkh.

back and buried at Hamadan. The Sharafnama says that Shah
Ni^matuliah intended to go on pilgrimage to Mecca via Baghdad. But
Khusraw Pasha, the Mir-i-Miran, refused to let him go, and he went to
Karbala, and on his way died at Hamadan.

972 A.H.

(1) He died — ^from dropsy according to the Jahan Ara. The Sharaf-
nama says that when Ma‘sum Beg saw Qazaq he fell to joking, telling
the men to get a horse ready so that the Khan could go and meet the
princes. And Qazaq said that, if he could have ridden, Ma^sum would
not have dared to joke thus. So they put him in a palanquin, and sent
him off. But he died while in Ma'sum’s charge ; some say he was
strangled. The chronogram given is : — (972 a.h.)

The Sharafnama says that Qazaq offended by refusing to join in the
expedition against Abiward. But the Ahsan puts this expedition in
the following year (973 a.h.).

(2) The wars in the Deccan. Chandray appears to be used as a
general name for a Hindu monarch. Rama Raja was the Lord of Bija-
nagar. A league was made against him by ‘Ali ‘i^dilshah of Bijapur,
Kigamshah of Ahmadnagar, and the kings of Golconda and Bidar.
The battle was fought in 1564 A.n. at TalikSt on the Krishna river.
Bijanagar was completely destroyed by the Moslems, and is now un-
inhabited.

(3) Pahlawdn Qawan. The name is given both by the Jahan Ara
and by the Sharafnama ; the latter says he was one of ‘Ali Sultan’s
nobles ( tyb.fff ), The Jahan Ara says the Uzbeks had taken Khabushan-,
and given it to Mir Shahriyar, ‘Ali Sultan’s Wazir.

(4) Transit dues'\ The Sharafnama and Jahan Ara say that the

Shah saw the last Imam in a dream, and made this reform in consequence.
Charmoy translates the Sharafnama thus : — II abolit et fit biffer des
registres des finances les droits de douane (tamgha) des ses etats”. See
notes on text. From this point we have no longer the assistance of the
Jahan Ara, whose author died in 975 a.h., after returning from pilgrim-
age to the Holy Places. Note that the Jahan Ara contains events up
to 972 A.H., although it is supposed to have been finished in .971, accord-
ing to the chronogram furnished by its title, The Sharaf-

nama adds ^ for this year, that Prince Muhammad Khudabanda was
married to a daughter of Mir ‘Abdullah of Mazandaran.

974 A.H.

(1) The fort of Vienna. The Persian is Charmoy reads “ Bach ”

( ^ ), translating Austria. I am not sure that Vienna is right.

AHSANU’T-TAWAKiKH.

2S7

975 A.H,

(1) Khan Ahmad was the son of Sultan Hasan, whose death was
recorded under 943 a.h. ; Hasan was grandson of a man of the same
name who was brother of the Kar Kiya Mirza ^Ali who befriended Ismail
in his childhood at Lahijan. Khan Ahmad was an infant one year old
when his father was killed.

After his capture he was sent, as recorded by the Ahsan, to Qahqaha,
but he was soon transferred to Istakhr, because, according to the Sharaf-
nama, he made friends with Prince Ismail w^ho was imprisoned at Qah-
qaha, or, according to Iskandar Munshi, in order to make him more
comfortable. Iskandar quotes verses of lamentation sent by Ahmad
from Qahqaha : —

j J ^

He remained in prison for ten years. From Istakhr Khan Ahmad
made constant petitions, but they were disregarded till Muhammad
Khudabanda became Shah, when he was released and came to
Qazwin (985 a.h.), and was given Shah Tahmasp's daughter Maryam
Begam in marriage, and allowed to return to Gilto. There he came
into collision with Qara Bahadur, Jamshid’s general. For this, and
further particulars, see 'Abdul-fattah Fumani’s Ta'rikh-i-Gilan, printed
in Dorn’s Muhammedanische Quellen, The Sharafnama gives as one
reason for Tahmasp’s displeasure with Khan Ahmad the fact that for
twenty years of the Shah’s stay at Qazwin Ahmad never came to pay
♦ his respects, not even w^hen Bayazid was at Qazwin, although that city
is only two or three days journey from Lahijan, the capital of Biya Pish,
of which Ahmad was Chief.

(2) His sister's son JamsMd. Jamshid was grandson of Muzatfar
Sultan JAmira Dubbaj) and of the Shah’s sister. His father w^as
Majiimud ; he was born at Qazwin, and was favoured and educated by
the Shah, and betrothed to a daughter of Tahmasp (Sharafntoa and
Ta’rikh-i-Gilan). 'Abdu’l-fattah Fumani says that when he was sent to
Gilan he was ten years old. According to Rabino’s article in J.R.A.S.,
1918 (p. 96) Khan Ahmad instigated the poisoning of Mahmud.
Moreover there appears to have been trouble as to the possession of
Kuchisfan, the Rulers of Biya Pas and Biya Pish each claiming that
town. Jamshid was eventually put to death by his Minister Kamran
Mirza Kuhdumi in 989 a.h. ; presumably this is the Kamran Mirza
meAtioned in the text.

(3) The castle of KharsaJ^. Khirs is mentioned in the Nuzhatu’l-
qulub as a place under Khuy.

288

ahsanu’t-tawabikh.

976 A-H-

(1) Simon Beg is taken. According to the Georgian Chronicles,
Baud Beg, Simon’s brother — a debauched and pleasure loving man —
was converted to Islam and received by Tahmasp. With a Persian^
army he entered Tiflis. But in 1567 a.d. he was attacked by Simon,
and besieged in Tiflis. He sent for help to Husayn (Husam ?) Beg Qara-
manlu. Eventually Simon was captured, and taken before Tahmasp,
who tried to make him a Moslem ; but he refused to accept Islam, and
was sent to Alamut, where he remained for nine years ; Tsa Khan had
already been imprisoned in this fort. Both these Georgians appear to
have been free soon after Tahmasp’s death, for they both appeared
at the Court of Isma'il II. Brosset (from the Georgian Chronicles) says
that Isma'il II ‘‘ fit venir le roi Swimon

(2) Ma'sum Beg Safawz. According to the Sharafnama it was
reported to the Sultan that Ma'sum Beg was dissatisfied at not receiving
recognition of his services in Ediurasan and Gilan, and was making
pilgrimage an excuse for collecting Sufis in Turkish territory and causing
trouble. So the Sultan ordered Darwish Pasha, Mir-i-Mirah of Syria,
to proceed against him. Darwish Pasha sent two hundred Arabs to
join Ma'sum Beg’s caravan and kill him. They seized an opportunity
of attacking him when he got out of his ‘ kajawa ’ for prayers, and killed
him.

977 A.H.

(1) Jirun, i.e. the island of Ormuz. But this island was at the time
under Portuguese sway, and Jirun probably here means the mainland
near Bandar ‘Abbas (Gombroon). Herbert writes : — ‘‘ West of Larr is
Jaaroon, twenty farsangs (or threescore English miles) thence : it is a
town consisting of a thousand Jewish families ”.

Of the forts mentioned Shamul must be Hi§ar-i-Shamil taken in
Timur’s expedition (Zafarnama).

978 A.H,

(1) Cyprus. Creasy (History of Turkey, Vol. I, p. 347) writes : —
Cyprus had been at one time under Mahomedan rule ; and the Turkish
authorities now proclaimed that the sovereign of Islam may at any time
break a treaty for the sake of reconquering from the misbelievers a
country, which has formerly belonged to the territory of Islam”. It
w'as the Mufti Abu Sa‘ud who declared that peace with infidels could
not be sanctioned by the law of Islam, except when favourable to Islam ;
urging that the Prophet in 6 A.H. signed a treaty for ten years, but
judged it weU to break his treaty a yearjater to attack the infidels and
reconquer^ Mecca. The result of Turkey’s applying this mischievous

AHS ANU’T-TAW5 RiKH.

289

doctrine to the case of Cyprus was to band the Christian powers against
her, and it led to the battle of Lepanto, so fatal to Turkish naval prestige.

(2) Yatan, i.e. Marco Antonio Bragadino. For the faithless and
cruel execution of this brave man see Hammer-Purgstall’s History.
It has made Mustafa Pasha Lala’s name infamous for ever.

(3) 'AsJcarl Khan, The Tatar Chiefs of the Crimea had been Turkish
tributaries since 1478 a.d. The Giray family were descended from
Chingiz Khan, and the Chief at this time was Dawiat Giray, son of
Mubarak Giray. Dawlat Giray was recognized as Khan of Astrakhan
in 952 A.H., and soon after as Khan of the Crimea. It is not clear to
me why our author attributes these and subsequent events to ‘Askari
Khan, who was, he says, father of Dawlat Giray. No person named
‘Askari Khan is known to me.

The Khan of Kaffa (Theodosia) was Qasim Pasha. The j)roject
of uiiiting the Don and Volga was one of the schemes of Muhammad
Sokoili, the Turkish Grand Wazii*, but it was originally suggested by
Qasim. According to Hammer-Purgstall 3,000 Janissaries and 20.000
horse were sent to Astrakhan (Haji Tarkhan), and 5,000 Janissaries
-and 3,000 workmen to Azov, in 977 a.h. 30,000 Tatars were ordered
to join the Janissaries and besiege Astrakhan. They were attacked
by 15,000 Russians under Serebianov, and the garrison also made a
sortie. The Tatar army was destroyed. Dawlat Giray was against
the project, and spread tales about its inadvisability ; the whole plan
thus failed. See also the Journal of the Royal Asian Society, 1931,
p. 324. The Volga-Don Ship Canal is now a Soviet project. In the
neighbourhood of Stalingrad only a short distance separates the Volga
and Don. Muhammad Sokollfs ‘^plah failed for military reasons, but
its inception shows its possibility ; and it is interesting to note that its
sponsor then turned his attention to a possible Suez Canal’'. ''It was

the disastrous attack on Astrakhan that first brought the Turks

into collision with the Russians. ”

979 A.H.

(1) Mutahhar Lang. For the expedition against Mutahhar bin
Sharafu’d-din Sa'idiyya and the capture of Kawkaban fort see Ham^mer-
Purgstall (Hellert’s French Edition, Ch. XXXV). The date given by
that historian is 977 a.h. ; and in the Jahan Numa, according to
Charmoy, 976 a.h.

(2) Ulugh Beg, i.e. Ivan the Terrible.

(3) Qulumula. I cannot identify; the reading may be corrupt.
There was a large Russian force in Moscow, but no battle took place
•owing to the great fire, which destroyed the whole town except the
Kremlin.

290

AHS ANU’t-T AW A RIKH .

(4) Gharlblu. A reads Ghariblur ; B and J Ghariblu ; so does-
the Sharafnama, Charmoy translating etranger

(5) KasJcar, Dorn and Rabino write Gaskar ; Charmoy and others^
Kaskar, quoting the Jahan Numa to the effect that the place was a big^
town on the sea-shore three days journey east of Ardabil and one day
north of Daylam. The modern form is Gasgar.

(6) Klsam. KTsam and Kuka were, according to Iskandar Munshi,
one stage from Lahijan.

980 A-H.

(1) A.H. 980. In addition to the events described for 979 a.h...
the Sharafnama relates a curious story about the loss of one gold and
one silver bar (brick) from the treasures at Qahqaha fort. The Kotwal
of the fort reported that Isma'il IVlirza had committed the robbery, and
an inquiry was started. Husayn Quli Khalifa Rumlu and Wall Khalifa
Shamlu took Isma'iFs part, and Pir Muhammad Ustajlu and Klialifa-i-
An§ar, Governor of Qara Dagh, the KotwaFs. Both sides came to*
Qazw’in and disputed in unseemly manner before the Shah. And
this originated the dissensions among the Chiefs, which culminated in
the fighting after Tahmasp’s death. The Sharafnama also records the*
death of Amir Ghayb Beg ; but, perhaps naturally, it ignores the Turkish
defeat at Lepanto.

(2) ^AU Pasha Muazzinzada was the Turkish ''Capitan pasha'’.

(3) Injll. Injirli is the island of Nisyros, but probably some island
in the Gulf of Patras is intended.

(4) Qara Khwdja was sent to reconnoitre, “ The pirate Cara Goggia
offered the Turkish Commander to inspect the Christian Armada and
to count its ships, which he achieved with such skill that he suffered
no damage ” (Fugger Kew’s-Letters, Ed. Victor Kharw’ell, in the des-
cription of Lepanto).

(5) Qillj 'All, formerly known as Uluj 'Ali, Dey of Algiers. The
Sultan changed his original name Ouloudj into Kihj, which means ‘ The-
Sword’” (Creasy, Yol. I, p. 355). This was after Lepanto. Qilij
‘All “ was born in Calabria, and was kidnapped as a child by Turkish
pirates, and was, like many other renegades, a rabid persecutor of Chris-
tianity” (Fugger News-Letters). Among the men wounded at Lepanto^
was Cervantes, who lost an arm.

(6) Sqfcka, Sitna, I cannot identify these names. The battle'
was at Molodi, 50 versts from Moscow.

981 A.H.

(1) Akbar takes Gujarat, Ttimad JChan, a former Hindu slave,,
was in ppwer in Gujarat, having made Muzaffar, a supposed son of

AHSANU’T-TAWARiKH.

291

Mahmud II of Gujarat, nominal king. In consequence of confusion
in the province ‘Itimad called Akbar, who marched to Patan and
received the submission of Muzaffar. Husayn Mirza, a descendant of
the Timurid Sultan Mirza who had come to India with Babur, raised a
rebellion, and Akbar hurried back to Gujarat and put down the distur-
bances. See Elphinstone’s History of India, Vol. I, p. 507. Elphinstone
<Jorrectly dates these events 980 a.h. A detailed account may be found
in 'All Muhammad Edian’s Mirat-i-Ahmadi ; vide Bird’s translation,
p. 301, et seq. It is said that the victory (fath) of Gujarat gave its
name to Akbar’s new cit}^ — ^Eatehpur Sikri.

'982 A-H.

(1) Don Behastian w^as the grandson and successor of John III of
Portugal (1554-1578 a.d.). He was killed in battle against the King
of Morocco, ‘Abdu’l-malik, at Al-kasr-al-kabir in 1578 a.d.

(2) Sultan Salim. The genealogy down to Qizil Buqa is given
also in the Hasht Bihisht and Sharafnama, and no doubt in many other
works. And the Sharafnama agrees also as to Ughuz and Qara Khto,
adding that Qara Khan was descended from the prox^het Japheth. The
Hasht Bihisht has a great string of names up to the patriarch Noah !
But the names after Qizil Buqa are (naturally enough) quite different
from those of the Ahsan and Sharafnama. Regarding Mongol and
Turkish genealogies, see Sir H. Howorth’s Article, J.R.A.S., 1908, p. 645.
The dates of accessions of Sultans in the Ahsan differ slightly from those

usually accepted (e.g.
Bultans. Thus : —

by Lane-Poole)

in regard to

some of the earlier

Sultan

Al}san

Lane-Poole

Sharafnama.

‘Usman

d.— 727

726

tJrkhan

d.— 759

761

Murad

d.— 791

792

793

Muhammad

d.-~825

824

825

Murad

d.— 855

855

854

Many of the places mentioned I cannot identify ; I have queried
these in the translation ; possibly readings in the text are sometimes
corrupt. Nor do I think it necessary to discuss the locality of these
places, for they have little to do with this history. They can mostly
be traced in Hammer-Purgstall, or in Charmoy’s ' Pastes

(3) Lawand died (982 a.h., 1574 a.d.). On Lawand’s death at

an advanced age Kakheti was occupied by his sons Eli Mourza, KhoSto,
and^ Wakhtang. But Alexander — ^who was another son by Thinathin,
a wife who had been repudiated by Lawand, and who according to one
report had killed Lawand — eventually defeated them and became king
.of Kakheti, reigning till 1605 a,d. (Brosset, Georgian Chroijicles).

292

A^SANU’T-TAWARiKH.

(4) Ma'sum Beg Safam. The name must be a copyist’s, error in
the original of the three MSS. I have used, for it occurs in them all,
yet Ma'sum Beg had been dead some years.

983 A.H-

(1) Kuhalc river, i.e. the Zarafshan river of Samarqand. Babur
says it is so called because "‘it comes out from under the upland of the
Little Hill (Kohik) lying between it and the town ” (p. 76, Baburnama).
In Mir Izzatullah’s Travels in Central Asia (Govt, of India, Foreign
Department Press, Calcutta, 1872), p. 63 we read ‘‘The river Kohuk,
leaving the Sumurkand hills about 12 Krosh to the north-east of Bokhara,
flows past the city, thence taking a westerly direction, slightly north
So it is still called the Kuhak, as it was in the days of Timur (Zafarnama,
where it is often mentioned, e.g. Vol. II, p. 222).

{2) Sent his son Muhammad * QuU to Court, According ‘to the
Ta’rlkh-i-^Alam-Aray-i-'AbbasI this prince stayed at the Persian Court
till 1001 A.H., when he fled back to Khwarazm.

984 A.H.

(1) Death of the Shah, Hammer-Purgstall says he was poisoned;
I do not know on what authority. The Ta’rikh-i-Qipchaqkhani says
his excessive, or careless, use of a depilatory brought on a fever from
which he died. This is also stated in the Ta’nkh-i-‘Alam-Aray-i-‘Abbasi.
Iskandar Munshi says that Hakim Abu Nasr was charged with putting
poison in the depilatory. He adds that at the time of Tahmasp’s death
he was himself in Hiisayn Beg Yuzbashi^s house.

(2) Mustansir Billdh, reigned as Fatimid Khalifa of Egypt from
427 to 487 A.H.

(3) Sultan Haydar claimed the throne. The Sharafnama says that
Husayn Beg Yuzbashi (‘‘that evil man’^), and ‘All Khan and Zal
Georgians, with the approval of Sultan Ibrahim, son of Bahram Mirza
and son-in-law of Shah Tahmasp, brought Haydar into the Palace,
so as to be on the spot and ready to ascend the throne. Pari Khan
Khanam, thereupon, sent a message to her uncle Shamkhal, and he,
with Husayn Quli Khulafa Rumlu, Amir Arslan Beg Afshar, and
Turkmans, Afshars, and Kurds, entered the Haram garden in the middle-
of the n^ht — ^thus cutting off Haydar and threatening his capture.
Jlearing of this, Husayn Beg Yuzbashi and the Ustajlus came with
Sultan Ibrahim, but found the gates shut against them. Then Haydar*
put on a woman’s dress, and tried to escape from the Palace and join
his supporters. But Shamkhal saw and pursued him, and tore off his-
“ chadur ” ; and he was killed by a Circassian slave. Shamkhal cut off his
head, aifd threw it among the Ustajlus, who were defeated and retired..

AHSANU’T-TAWABiKPI.

293

Iskandar Munshi says that the supporters of Tsma‘il at this time
were the first to call themselves Shahsewan

Don Juan apparently calls FTusayn Beg 'Hhe Eunuch Akhtah
Hnsayn

(4) The Mill Stones — some locality near Qazwin.

(5) Qahqaha. The Ahsan does not record the sending of Isma'il
to this fort, nor the reason for it. It appears that in 963 a.h.., Isma^il
waN sent to Herat in place of Muhammad Khudabanda, and ^41i Sultan
Takalu was sent with him, with orders to hand him over to Muhammad
Khto Sharafu’d-din, and to bring back Prince Muhammad. Isma'il
insulted Muhammad Khan, and even attempted his life. Muhammad
E^haji followed 'Ali Sultto back to Qazwin, and reported Isma'il’s
behaviour to the Shah. Further improper acts in Herat followed, and
in 964 A.H., Isma‘il was deprived of his post, and Sundulc Beg was sent
to bring him back. When Sunduk Beg and Isma'il reached Sawa on the
way to Qazwin, Ma^sum Beg Saftiwi was sent to arrest Isma^il and take
him to Qahqaha, which he did.

As for Qahqaha, I find it is often supposed to be near Tus, i.e. the
Kahka, which is now a station on the Transcaspian railway, the fort of
which was rebuilt by Timur in 784 a.h:. But this can hardly have been
the castle in which Isma^il was confined. It is too far aw^ay, and
at the time it was too much exposed to Uzbek raids to have been suitable.
The name may have been given to several forts — ^whether it means
laughter ” (at the feeble attempts of enemies to attack it), or retreat ’’
(which was what all assailants had to do). Hammer-Purgstall suggests
that our Qahqaha was the same as Alamut, and this suggestion is men-
tioned by Charmoy, who, however, seems to prefer the view that Qah-
qaha was between Qazwin and Tabriz. Herbert says, ‘‘ Caykahe castle
neere Tabriz”. Don Juan says ''between Qazwin and Tabriz — being
150 leagues from the former city and 30 from the latter, but at some
distance to the northward in the direction of Erivan ” — a description
which it is not very easy to follow. Malcolm (Vol. I, p. 514) says that
his informant stated that it was " the modern Sheshah ”, which his
map shows as just north of the Aras river, i.e. Shusha. This is not
inconsistent with the details of Isma'il’s march to Qazwin. He took
a week to reach Ardabil. (He would not go to Ardabil at all — much
less in a week— if he had marched from the neighbourhood of Tus).
Ardabil was on the way from Qahqaha to Qazwin. Isma'il would march
slowly at first, to collect his followers — as the narrative tells us he did.
Two of his stopping places are mentioned — ^Yafat and Urshaq. Perhaps
Yafat may be Javat, at the former junction of the Kur and Aras
rivers. Barbier de Meynard writes of Urshaq, ''montagne pres de
Mougan, province de FAzerbaidjan Malcolm seems to be right about
Qahqaha.

294

A^SANU’T-TAWARiKH.

As for Isma'il’s route after Ardabil, the general direction is clear,
but some of the villages cannot be identified.

(6) Suldq Husayn Tahalu was Governor of Dinawar. Sulaq=one
armed.

(7) Qardja Ddgh men. These were followers of Khalifa -i- Ansar,
who was Governor of Qaraja Dagh (south of the Aras river).

(8) Husayn the bad was brought. According to the Sharafnama he
was imprisoned for eight months in Qazwin, and then put to death by
Isma^ihs order. Iskandar Munshi says he died in prison of diarrhoea
shortly before IsmalFs death.

(9) Shabdnkdra. This is mentioned in the Nuzhalu’l-qiilufo as a

district of Fars, east of Shiraz , containing Mriz and other towns . Charmoy
(VoL I, p. 116) derives the word from pastoral.

See also the history given by Ibn-al-Balkhi in the article by Le Strange
in J.R.A.S., 1912, p. 9. The men of tlie Shabankara tribe had originally,
he says, been herdsmen in Fars, and there were five subdivisions of the
tribe. They are said to have been Kurds, and a powerful Kurdish

tribe is now the Shuan tribe, who are graziers and shepherds ( ).

See Soane, To Mesopotamia and Kurdistan in disguise, p. 165.

(10) Shdh Tahmdsp. I have not translated the rhyming genealogy
given by Hasan. All authorities agree down to Safiyyu’d-din — Ismail,
Haydar, Junayd, Ibrahim, Shah 'Ali, Sadru’d-din, Safiyyu’d-dJn, There-
after the Ahsan and Silsilatu’n-nasab give, JibrM Amin, Qutbu'd-din,
Sahh, Muhammad Hafiz, Twaz, Firuzshah. The Lubbu’t-tawarikh and
Jahan Ara, followed by the Ta’rikh-i-Qipchaqkhani, Muhammad Tahir
bin Muhammad Yusuf Qazwini’s Khulasa-i-maqal,- and Malcolm's autho-
rity, give : — Jibrail, Salih, Qutbu’d-din, Salahu’d-din Rashid, Muhammad
Hafiz, Twaz, Firuzshah. Khwandamir has : — Jibrail, Salih, Qutbu‘d-din,
Muhammad HMz, Twaz, Firuzshah. The last named, Sayyid Firuzshah-
i-Zarrin Kulah, was the first to settle in Ardabil. Before him the names
are doubtful, down to Musa al-Kazim.

In all the MSS. of the Ahsan the names of Tahmasp’s daughters
are omitted.

The poet Buqul-lshq is not known to me.

(11) Opium, ( ). According to the Ghiyasul-iughat

this is an electuary composed of seventy ingredients (

j )• merely the Arabicised form of . The Word

originally meant an antidote to poison, as in Sa'di’s Bustan, Book I,
iJ'Ljy jA\ ; the meaning ‘"opium” seems to be of later
use. Still gt may mean opium here.

AHS ANU’t-TAW.A RiKH.

295

985 A;H.

(1) Pilangdn, a fort near Shahrizur. Its Chief, Iskanclar bin
Muhammad bin Ghaybullah Beg, had come to Tahmasp’s Court at
QazMn, and had also submitted to Isma'il II. According to the Sharaf-
nama it was after Isma^il’s death that Sulaq Husayn attacked Pilangto,
and took it. It was soon after retaken by Turkish troops in Shahrizur,
and became part of Turkish territory.

(2) Nizdmu'l-mulk, i.e, Murtaza, the Mzamshahi King of Ahmad-
nagar (972-996 a.h.).

(3) Friday ; if the other days of the week are right, this should
apparently be Wednesday.

(4) Bhang, The Persian is (Elephant brain). ^Malcolm

says ‘'j&laoun’’; Iskandar Munshi writes It may be an opium

compound, as Malcolm says. Another tale, which is reported by
Herbert, is that Isma'il was strangled in his bed — ‘‘slain in his bed
by fereacon Couna and 4 Sultai?c, who entered habited Hke women”
and further picturesque details are given by Herbert in another place.
This version is also given by Don Juan and is accepted by Hammer-
Purgstall, who says that the Princess murdered Isma‘il by getting him
strangled by fifteen men disguised as women. Ismail is said to have
been tolerant in religious belief — even if not inclined towards Sunniism
— and to have intended orders allowing Sunnis and Shi‘as to follow
their own ideas. This may be sufficient to explain any plot against
him. Iskandar Munshi gives a fuller description of Ismail's death and
quotes in full the statement of Husayn Halwachi. Pari Khan Khanam
was suspected of having put jpoison in Ismail’s

(5) l 87 nd%l bin Hafiz li dmilldh. See O’Leary’s History of the
•Eatimid Khalifate, p. 231. The young Eatimid was murdered 549 a.h.
(A.n. 1154).

(6) Khuddhanda, Hasan does not mention “the natural weakness
of his eyes, which rendered him almost blind” (Malcolm).

(7) Bibdt-i-Ddng. See note on a.h. 940(4).

Bibdt-i’8ayhpb is unknown to me, and the reading is doubtful.

(8) Sulaymdn Pddshdh. This is the former ruler of Badakhshan
■with whom Humayan contended in 954 a.h. ; see note on 954 a.h.
(6). He was attacked and overthrown by ‘Abdullah bin Iskandar
Uzbek.

(9) Pari Khdn Khdnam. Malcolm says that Pari Khan Khanam
was Tahmasp’s favourite Sul'tana and sister of Shamkhal -*Chief of the
Cherkus”. But this is a mistake. She was Tahmasp’s daughter, «?nd
the niece of Shamkhal. She whs born in 955 a.h. in the Shah s camp
on the bank of a river, just when news came that the Turkish SuKan
had retreated from Tabriz (J^an Ara). Iskandar Munshi says she whs
Tahmasp’s second daughter.

296

AHSAlJTXj’T-TAWARiKH.

(10) Paid the troops. It would appear that Hasan WTote the bulk
of this chronicle in 980 a.h. ; for he ^as writing in that year the events
of the years 907, 958, 974 a.h. He added the part nearly up to Ismail’s
death by Ismail’s order before Ismail died, and then concluded his
history after the death of that monarch.

(11) tJgutdy Qd^dn, son of Chingiz Khan, famous for his generosity ;
see Browne, Vol. Ill, p. 383 ; and for his character Blochet, Introduction
a I’histoire des Mongols, p. 158-60 (Gibb. Mem. Vol. XII).

(12) Tasuj, on the northern shore of L. Urmiya ; Wuldiydn 40 miles
N.W. of Tasuj.

(13) The Erzemm Pasha, I do not find this fight described or
mentioned, in any history ; there is nothing about it in the Sharafnama.
Sultan Murad of Turkey was, however, hostile to Persia, and preparing
for attack ; and it is likely that his Pashas would try a little fighting
on their own account. Don Juan writes that Sultan Murad sent word
to the Pashas of Van, Erzerum «nd Greater Armenia, .. thatr all of

them together should ravage the towns and castles across their-

respective frontiers” (p. 133).

AHSABTU’T-TAWAEiKH

25 '

298

A^SAiru’T-TAWAEiKH.

c3 m

_«D ‘S

< R

■= I

"Is ^

W '3

j. <«

-I 2

A9SANTJ’T-TA W AEiKH,

299

300

AHSANTj’T-TAWSRiKH,

The descendants of Timur (a full tree can be seen in Lane-Poole’s Mohammadan IJynasties and in other histories).

A^tSANTj’T-TAWABiKH,

301

of India.

ERRATA

Page

Line

last

98^

107*

114

121

146

149

150

154

161

163

171

181

193

184

188

189

188

194

240

28*6

• Fcyr

Sa'di

present

( 88 )

Astarabad
Kuy (13)
Rayhan
Warsaq
Circassian

Sa’d

Khuy

him

Khunustu

Adiljaw3.z

overcome
So Ma’sum
straightaway
Adam

Nakhchiwan

conches

Mar’ash

Masum

Basra

( 1 )

Salim
944 (7)

Gibbs

Bead

Sa'di

presents

(28)

Astarabad
Kuy (10)
Rayhan
Warsaqs
Circassian

Sa'd

Khuy—

Khunusla

‘Adiliawaz

overcame

— ^Ma'sflm

straightway

Adham

Nakhchiwan

conchs

Mar'ash

Ma^sum

Basra

del.

SalinJ
946 (6)
Gibb.

SELECT OPINIONS

Sylvain Levi : The Gaekwad’s Series is standing
at the head of the many collections now pub-
lis^ied in India.

Asiatic Review, London : It is one of the best
series issued in the East as regards the get up of
the individual volumes as well as the able
editorship of the series and separate works.

Presidential Address, Patna Session of the Oriental
Conference : Work of the same class is being
done in Mysore, Trayancore, Kashmir, Benares,
and elsewhere, but the organisation at BaVoda
appears to lead.

Indian Art and Letters, London ; The scientific
publications known as the “ Oriental Series ”
of the Maharaja Gaekwar are known to and
highly valued by scholars in all parts of the
world.

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, London:
Thanks to enlightened patronage and vigor-
ous management the “ Gaekwad’s Oriental
Series ” is going from strength to strength.

Sir Jadunath Sarkar, Kt. ; The valuable Indian
histories included in the “ Gaekwad’s Ori-
ental Series” will stand as an enduring
monument to the enlightened liberality of
the Ruler of Baroda and the wisdom of his
advisers.

The Times Literary Supplement, London ; These
studies are a valuable addition to Western
learning and reflect, great credit on the
editor and His Highness.

GAEKWAD’S ORIENTAL SERIES

, Critical editions of unprinted and original works of Oriental
Literature, edited by competent scholars, and published
by the Oriental Institute, Baroda

I. BOOKS PUBLISHED.

Bs. A.

1. Kavyamimathsa : a work on poetics, by Rajasekhara

(880-920 A.D.) : edited by C. D. Dalai and R. Ananta-
krishna Sastry, 1916. Reissued, 1924 . . . . 2-4

This booh has been set as a text-book by several Universities including
Benares, Bombay, and Patna,

2. Naranarayanananda : a poeSa on the Pauranio story of

Arjuna and Krsna’s rambles on Mount Girnar, by Vas-
tupala. Minister of King Viradhavala of Dholka, com-
posed between Samvat 1277 and 1287, i.e,, A.D. 1221
and 1231 : edited by C. D. Dalai and R. Anantakrishna
Sastry, 1916 .. .. .. Out of print

3. Tarkasangraha : a work on Philosophy (refutation of

Vaisesika theory of atomic creation) by Anandajuana
or Anandagiri, the famous commentators on Sahkara-
carya’s Bhasyas, who flourished in the latter half of
the 13th century : edited by T. M. Tripathi, 1917 . Out of print,

4. Parthaparakrama : a drama describing Arjuna’s re-

covery of the cows of King Virata, by Prahladanadeva,
the founder of Palanpur and the younger brother of
the Paramara king of Chandra vati (a state in Marwar),
and a feudatory of the kings of Guzerat, who was a
Yuvaraja in Samvat 1220 or A.D. 1164: edited by
C. D. Dalai, 1917 .. .. .. Out of print.

5. Rastraudhavamsa : an historical poem (Mahakavya)

describing the history of the Bagulas of Mayuragiri,
from Rastraudha, king of Kanauj and the originator
of the dynasty, to Narayana Shah of Mayuragiri, by
Rudra Kavi, composed in Saka 1518 or A.D. 1596:
edited by Pandit Embar Elrishnamacharya with Intro-
duction by C. D. Dalai, 1917 . . . . . •

6. Linganusasana : on Grammar, by Vamana, who lived

between the last quarter of the 8th century and the
&st quarter of the 9th century: edited by 0. D.

. Dalai, 1918 .. .. .. “ 0-8

7. Vasantavilasa : an histarical poem (Mahakavya) de-

scnbing the life of Vastupala and the history of

E,S. A,

Guzerat. by Balachandrasuri (from Modheraka or
Modhera in*' Kadi Prant, Baroda State), contemporary
of Vastupala, composed aftqr his death for his son iii
Samvat 1296 vA.D. 1240) : edited by C. D. Dalai, 1917 l^-S

8. Rupakasatkam : six dramas by Vatsaraja, minister of

Paramardideva of Kalinjara, who lived between the
2nd half of the 12th and the 1st quarter of 13th cen-
tury : edited by C. D. Dalai, 1918 . . • •

9. Mohaparajaya ; an allegorical drama describing the

overcoming of King Moha (Temptation), or the conver-
sion of Kumarapala, the Chalukya King of Guzerat,
to Jainism, by Yasahpala, an officer of King Ajaya-
deva, son of Kumarapala, who reigned from A.D. 1229
to 1232 : edited by Muni Chaturvijayaji with Introduc-
tion and Appendices by C. D. Dalai, 1918 . . 2-0

10. Hammiramadamardana : a drama glorifying the two

brothers, Vastupala and Tejahpala, and their King Vira-
dhavala of Dholka, by Jayasimhasuri, pupil of Vira-
suri, and an Acarya of •the temple of Munjsuvrata •
at Broach, composed between Samvat 1276 and 1286
or A.D. 1220 and 1239 : edited by C. D. Dalai, 1920 . . 2-0

11. Udayasundarikatha : a romance (Campu, in prose and

poetry) by Sod^ala, a contemporary of and patronised
by the three brothers, Chchittaraja, NagS-rjuna, and
Mummuniraja, successive rulers of Konkan, composed
between A.D, 1026 and 1050 : edited by 0. D. Dalai
and Pandit Embar Krishnamacharya, 1920 . . 2-4

12. Mahavidyavidambana : a work on NySya Philosophy,

by Bhatta Vadindra who lived about A.D. 1210 to
1274 : eited by M. R. Telang, 1920 . . . . 2-8

13. Pracinagurjarakavysangraha : a collection of old

Guzerati poems dating from 12th to 15th centuries
A.D. : edited by C. D. Dalai, 1920 . . . . 2-4

14. Kumarapalapratibodha : a biographical work in

Prakrta, by Somaprabhacharya, composed in Samvat

1241 or A.D. 1195 : edited by Muni Jinavijayaji, 1920 7-8

15. Garjiakarika : a work on Philosophy (Pasupata School),

by Bhasarvajna who lived in the 2nd half of the 10th
century : edited by C. D. Dalai, 1921 . . . . 1-4

16. Sangitamakaranda ; a work on Music, by Narada : '

edited by M. R. Telang, 1920 . , . . * . 2-0

17. Kavindracarya List : list of Sanskrit works in the

collection of Kavindracarya, a Benares Pandit (1656
A.D.) : edited by R. Anantakrishna Shastry, with a
foreword by Dr. Ganganatha Jha, 1921 . . . . 0-12

18. Varahagrhyasutra : Vedic ritual (domestic) of the

Yajurveda : edited by Dr. R. Shamasastry, 1920 . . *0-10

19. Lekhapaddhati : a collection ci models of state and pri-

vate documents, dating from 8th to 16th centuries A.D. :

jE^S* a»

edited by C. D. Dalai and G. K. ShrigondeJsar,

1925 .. .. .. .. ..2-0

20. Bhavisayattakaha or P^ncamikaha : a romance in

Apabhramsa language, by Dhanapala (circa 12th cen-
tury) : edited by C. D. Dalai and Dr. P. D. Gune, 1923 6-0

21. A Descriptive Catalogue of the Palm -leaf and Im-

portant Paper MSS. in the Bhandars at Jessal-
mere, compiled by C. D. Dalai and edited by Pandit

L. B. Gandhi, 1923 . . . . . . 3-4

22. Parasuramakalpasutra : a work on Tantra, with com-

mentary by Barnes vara: edited by A. Mahadeva
Sastry, B.A., 1923 . . . . Out of print.

23. Nityotsava : a supplement to the Parasuramakalpasutra

by Umanandanatha : edited by A. Mahadeva Sastry,

B.A., 1923. Second revised option by Swami Tirvik-
rama Tirtha, 1930 . , . . . . 5-0

24. Tantrarahasya : a work on the Prabhakara School
, of Purvamimamsa, by Rauj-anujacarya : edited by Dr.

R. Shamasastry, 1923 . . . . ... 1-3

25. 32. Samarahgapa : a work on architecture, town-

planning, and engineering, by king Bhoja of Dhara
(11th century) : edited by Mahamahopadhyaya T.
Ganapati Shastri, Ph.D. Illustrated. 2 vols., 1924-1925 10-0

26. 41. Sadhanamala : a Buddhist Tantric text of rituals,

dated 1165 A.D., consisting of 312 small works, com-
posed by distinguished writers: edited by Benoytosh
Bhattacharyya, M.A., Ph.D. Illustrated. 2 vols., 1925-
1928 .. .. .. .. .. 14-0

27. A Descriptive Catalogue of MSS. in the Central

Library, Baroda : compiled by G. K. Shrigondekar, .

M. A., and K. S. Ramaswami Shastri, with a Preface

by B. Bhattacharyya, Ph.D., ii?. 12 vols., vol. I (Veda,
Vedalaksana, and Upanisads), 1925 . . . . 6-0

28. Manasollasa or Abhilasitarthacintamani : an ency-

clopsedic work treating of one hundred different topics
connected with the Royal household and the Royal
court, by Some^varadeva, a Chalukya king of the 12th
century : edited by G. K. Shrigondekar, M.A., 3 vols.,
vol. I, 1925 . , . . . . . . 2-12

29. Nalavilasa : a drama by Ramachandrasuri, pupil of

Hemachandrasuri, describing the Pauranika story of
Nala and DamayantI : edited by G. K. Shrigondekar,

M.A., and L. B. Gandhi, 1926 . . . . 2-4

30. 31. Tattvasangraha : a Buddhist philosophical work

of the 8th century, by ^antaraksita, a Professor at
Nalanda with Panjika (commentary) by his disciple
KamalaMa, also a Professor at Nalanda : edited by
Pandit Embar Krishnamacharya with a Foreword
by B. Bhattacharyya,'^M.A., Ph.D,, 2 vols., 1926 . . 24-0

33, 34. Mirat-i-Ahmadi : by Ali Mahammad Khan, the-
last Moghul Dewan of Gujarat : edited in the origmal
Persian by Syed Nawab Ali, ^A., Professor of Persian,
Baroda College, 2 vols., illustrated, 1926-1928

35. Manavagrhyasiitra s a work on Vedic ritual (domestic)
of the Yajurveda with the Bhasya of Astavakra:
edited with an introduction in Sanskrit by Pandit
Eamakrishna Harshaji Sastri, with a Preface by Prof.
B. C. Lele, 1926 ..

36, 68. Natyasastra : of Bharata with the commentary of
Abhinavagupta of Kashmir : edited by M. Eamakrishna
Kavi, M.A., 4 vols., vol. I, illustrated, 1926, vol. II, 1934

37. Apabhram§akavyatrayi : consisting of three works,

the Carcarl, Upadesarasayana, and Kalasvarupakulaka,
by Jinadatta Suri (12th century) with commentaries :
edited with an elaborate introduction in Sanskrit by

L. B. Gandhi, 1927

38. Nyayapravesa, Part I (Sanskrit Text) : on Buddhist

Logic of Dihnaga, with cofnmentaries of Haribhadra
Suri tod Parsvadeva : edited by Principal A. B. Dhruva,

M. A., LL.B., Pro- Vice-Chancellor, lEndu University,
Benares, 1930

39. Nyayapravesa, Part II (Tibetan Text) : edited with

introduction, notes, appendices, etc., by Pandit Vidhu-
sekhara Bhattacharyya, Principal, Vidyabhavana, Vis-
vabharati, 1927

40. Advayavajrasahgraha : consisting of twenty short

works on Buddhist philosophy by Advayavajra, a Bud-
dhist savant belonging to the 11th century A.D.,
edited by Mahamahopadhyaya Dr. Haraprasad Sastri,
MA., C.I.E., Hon. D.Litt., 1927

42. 60. Kalpadrukosa : standard work on Sanskrit Lexico-

graphy, by Kesava : edited with an elaborate introduc-
tion by the late Pandit Eamavatara Sharma,
Sahityacharya, MA., of Patna and index by Pandit
Shrikant Sharma, 2 vols., vol. I (text), vol. II (index),
1928-1932

43. Mirat-i-Ahmadi Supplement : by Ali Muhammad

Khan. Translated into English from the original
Persian by Mr, C. N. Seddon, I.C.S. {retired), and Prof.
Syed Nawab Ali, M.A. Illustrated. Corrected reissue,
1928 ..

44. Two Vajrayana Works : comprising Prajnopayavinis-

cayasiddhi of Anahgavajra and Jfianasiddhi of Indra-
bhuti — two important works belonging to the little
known Tantra school of Buddhism (8th century
A.D.) : edited by B. Bhattacharyya, Ph.D., 1929

45. BhavaprakaSana : of Saradatanaya, a comprehensive

work on Dramaturgy and Easa, belonging to
A.D, 1175-1250; edited by His Holiness Yadugiri
Yatiraja Swami, Melkot, and Kt S. Eamaswami Sastri,
Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1929

Es. A.

1&-8

5- 0

11-0

4-0

1—8

2—0

14-0

6 — 8

3-0

7-0

Rs. A.

46. Ramacarita : of Abhinanda, Court poet of Haravarsa

probably the same as Devapala of the Pala Dynasty of
Bengal (cir. 9th century A.D.) : edited by K. S. Rama-
swami Sastri, 1929 . . . . . . 7-8

47. Nanjarajayasobhusana ; by Nrsimhakavi alias Abhi-

nava Kalidasa, a work on Sanskrit Poetics and relates
to the glorification of Nahjaraja, son of Virabhupa of
Mysore : edited by Pandit E. liishnamaoharya, 1930 5-0

48. Natyadarpana : on dramaturgy, by Ramacandra Suri

with his own commentary : edited by Pandit L. B.

Gandhi and G. K. Shrigondekar, M.A. 2 vols., vol. I,

1929 .. .. .. .. ..4-8

49. Pre-Dinnaga Buddhist Texts on Logic from

Chinese Sources : containing the English translation
of Satd^astra of Aryadeva, Tibetan text and English
translation of V igraha-vyavartam of Nagarjuna and the
re-translation into Sanskrit from Chinese of UpdyahT'

• daya and Tarkasdstra : edited by Prof. Giuseppe Tucci,

1930 .. .. .. ..9-0

^0. Mirat-i-Ahmadi Supplement : Persian text giving
an account of Guzerat, by Ali Muhammad Khan:
edited by Syed Nawab AH, M.A., Principal, Bahaud-
din College, Junagadh, 1930 . . . . . . 6-0

51. Trisastisalakapurusacaritra : of Hemacandra, trans-

lated into English with copious notes by Dr. Helen
M. Johnson of Osceola, Missouri, U.S.A. 4 vols., vol. I

(Adisvaracaritra), illustrated, 1931 . . . . 15-0

52. Dandaviveka : a comprehensive Penal Code of the

ancient Hindus by Vardhamana of the 15th century

A.D. : edited by Mahamahopadhyaya Kamala Krsna
Smrtitirtha, 1931 . . . . . . . , 8-8

53. Tathagataguhyaka or Guhyasamaja ; the earliest and

the most authoritative work of the Tantra School of
the Buddhists {3rd century A.D.) : edited by B. Bhatta-
charyya, Ph.D., 1931 . . . . . . 4-4

54. Jayakhyasamhita : an authoritative Pancaratra work

of the 5th century A.D., highly respected by the South
Indian Vaisnavas: edited by Pandit E. Krishnama-
charyya of Vadtal, with one illustration in nine colours
and a Foreword by B. Bhattacharyya, Ph.D., 1931 . . 12-0

55. Kavyalankarasarasaihgraha : of Udbhata with the

commentary, probably the same as Udbha^viveka of
Rajanaka Tilaka (11th century A.D.) : edited by K. jg.
Ramaswami Sastri, 1931 . . . . . . 2-0^

56. Parananda Sutra : an ancient Tantric work of the
• Hindus in Sutra form giving details of many practices

and rites of a new School of Tantra : edited by Swami
Trivikrama Tirtha with a Foreword by B. Bhatta-
charyya, Ph.D., 1931 3-0

Es. A.

57, 69. Ahsan-ut-Tawarikh : history of the Safawi Period of*

Persian History, 15th and 16th centuries, by Hasan-
i-Eumlu : edited by C. N. ,Seddon, I.C.S. {retired)

Header in Persian and Marathi, University of Oxford.

2 vols. (Persian text and translation in English),

1932-34 .. .. .. - 19-8

58. Padmananda Mahakavya: giving the life history of

Rsabhadeva, the first Tirthankara of the Jainas, by
Amarachandra Kavi of the 13th century: edited by
H. E. Kapadia, M.A., 1932 . . . . . . 14-0

59. Sabdaratnasamanvaya : an interesting lexicon of the

Nanartha class in Sanskrit compiled by the Maratha
King Sahaji of Tanjore: edited by Pandit Vitthala
Sastri, Sanskrit Pafcha^ala, Baroda, with a Foreword by
B. Bhattacharyya, Ph.D., 1932 . . . . 11-0

61. Saktisahgama Tantra : a voluminous compendium of

the Hindu Tantra comprising four books on Kali, Tara,

Sundari and Chhmnamasta : edited by B. Bhatta-
charyya, M. A., Ph.D., 4 volsf, vol. I, Kalikhanda, 1932 • 2-8

62. Prajnaparamitas : commentaries on the Prajnapara-

mita, a Buddhist philosophical work : edited by
Giuseppe Tucci, Member, Italian Academy, 2 vols.,
vol. I, 1932 . . . . . . . . 12-0

63. Tarikh-i-Mubarakhshahi : an authentic and contem-

porary account of the kings of the Saiyyid Dynasty ’ of
Delhi : translated into English from original Persian by
Kamal Krishna Basu, M.A., Professor, T.N.J. College,
Bhagalpur, with a Foreword by Sir Jadunath Sarkar,

Kt., 1932 .. .. .. ..7-8

64. Siddhantabindu : on Vedanta philosophy, by Madhusu-

dana Sarasvatl with commentary of Purusottama :
edited by P. C. Divanji, M.A., LL.M., 1933 . . 11-0 •

65. Istasiddhi: on Vedanta philosophy, by Vimuktatma,

disciple of Avyayatma, with the author’s own comment-
ary: edited by M. HMyanna, M.A., Eetired Professor
of Sanskrit, Maharaja’s College, Mysore, 1933 . . 14-0

66. Sahara -Bhasya : on the Mimamsa Sutras of Jaimini:

Translated into English by Mahamahopadhyaya Dr,
Ganganath Jha, M.A., D.Litt., etc., Vice-Chancellor,
University of Allahabad, in 3 vols., vol, 1, 1933 . . 16-0

67. Sanskrit Texts from Bali : comprising a large num-

ber of Hindu and Buddhist ritualistic, religious and
other texts recovered from the islands of Java and Bah
with comparisons: edited by Professor Sylvain Levi,

1933 ,, •• •• •• ,, 3—8

II. BOOKS IN THE PEESS.

1, Natyasastra : edited by M. Eamakrishna Kavi, 4 vols.,
vol. III.

Jbis* A«-

2. IVlanasollasa or Abhila§itarthacintamani, edited by G. K,

Sbrigondekar, M.A., 3 vols., vol. II.

3. A Descriptive Catalogue of MSS. in the Jain Bhan-

dars at Pattan : edited from the notes of the late
Mr. C. D. Dalai, M.A., by L. B. Gandhi, 2 vols.

4. Portuguese Vocables in Asiatic Languages : trans-

lated into English from Portuguese by Prof. A* X.

Soares, M.A., LL.B., Baroda College, Baroda.

5. Alamkaramahodadhi : a famous work on Sanskrit

Poetics composed by Xarendraprabha Suri at the
request of Minister Vastupala in 1226 A.D. : edited by
Lalchandra B. Gandhi of the Oriental Institute, Baroda.

6. Suktimuktavali : a well-known Sanskrit work on

Anthology, of Jalhana, a contemporary of King Krsna
of the Northern Yadava Dynasty (A.D. 1247) ; edited
by Pandit E. Krishnamacharya, Sanskrit Pathasala,
Vadtal,

7/ Trisastisalakapurusacarifi*a : of Hemacandra : trans-
lated into English by Dr. Helen M. Johnson, 4 vols.,
vol. II.

8. Kavyamimamsa : A Sanskrit work on Poetics of Rajase-

khara: third revised edition by K. S. Ramaswami
Shastri of the Oriental Institute, Baroda.

9. Sahara -Bhasy a : on the Mimamsa Sutras of Jaimini :

Translated into English by Mahamahopadhyaya Dr.
Ganganath Jha, M.A., D.Litt., etc., Vice-Chancellor,
University of AUahabad, in 3 vols., vol. II.

10. Gapitatilakavrtti : of Sripati with the commentary of

Simhatilaka, a non-Jain work on Arithmetic and
Algebra with a Jain commentary: edited by H. R.
Kapadia, M.A.

11. Narayana Sataka: a devotional poem of high literary

merit by Vidyakara with the commentary of Pitambara :
edited by Pandit Shrikant Sharma.

12. Dvadasaranayacakra : an ancient polemical treatise

giving a resum6 of the different philosophical systems
with a refutation of the same from the Jain stand-
point by Mallavadi Suri with a commentary by
Simhasuri Gani: edited by Muni Caturvijayaji.

13. Nayakaratna ; a commentary on the Nyayaratnamala

of Parthasarathi Mi^ra by Ramanuja of the Prabhakara
School: edited by K. S. Ramaswami Sastri of J;he
Oriental Institute, Baroda.

14. Rajadharma-Kaustubha : an elaborate Smrti work on
• Rajadharma, Rajaniti and the requirements of kings,

by Anantadeva : edited by Mahamahopadhyaya Kamala
Krishna Smrtitirtha. •

RS. A.

III. BOOKS UNDER PREPARATION.

1. A Descriptive Catalogue of MSS. in the Oriental •

Institute, Baroda: compiled? by the Library staff, 12
vols.jvol. II {^rauta, Dharma, and Grhya Sutras).

2. Prajnaparamitas : commentaries on the Prajnapara-

mita, a Buddhist philosophical work: edited by Prof.
Giuseppe Tucci, 2 vols., vol. II.

3. Saktisangama Tantra : comprising four books on Kali,

Tara, Sundari, and Chhinnamasta : edited by
B. Bhattacharyya, Ph.D., 4 vols., vol. II.

4. Natyadarpapa ; introduction in Sanskrit giving an

account of the antiquity and usefulness of the In-
dian drama, the different theories on Rasa, and an ex-
amination of the problems raised by the text, by
L. B. Gandhi, 2 vols., vol. 11.

5. Gandavyuha : a Buddhist work describing the history

of Sudhana in search of perfect knowledge, and the
exploits of Manjusn (3rd century A.D.) : edited by
B. Bhattachar 3 rya, Ph.D., 2 vols.

6. Gurjararasavali ; a collection of several old Gujarati

Rasas : edited by Messrs. B. K. Thakore, M. D. Desai,
and M. C. Modi.

7 . Parasurama-Kalpasutra : an important work on Tantra

with the commentary of Ramesvara: second revised
edition by Swami Trivikrama Tirtha.

8. Tarkabhasa : a work on Buddhist Logic, by Mok^akara

Gupta of the Jagaddala monastery: edited with a
Sanskrit commentary by Pandit Embar Krishnama-
charya of Vadtal.

9. Madhavanala-Kamakandala : a romance in old Western

Rajasthani by Ganapati, a Kayastha from Amod:
edited by M. R. Majumdar, M.A., LL.B.

10. A Descriptive Catalogue of MSS. in the Oriental

Institute, Baroda : compiled by the Library staff, 12
vols., vol. Ill (Smrti MSS.).

11. An Alphabetical List of MSS. in the Oriental Insti-

tute, Baroda ; compiled from the existing card cata-
logue by K. Rangaswamy, Superintendent, Printed
Section.

12. Pracina Gurjara Kavya Samgraha : explanatory and

linguistic notes on the texts printed as No. 13 : by
B. B. Mehta, in 2 vols.

13. Chhakkammuvaeso : an Apabhramsa work of the Jains

containing didactic religious teachings : edited by
^ L. B. Gandhi, Jain Pandit.

14. Samrat Siddhanta : the well-known work on Astro-

nomy of Jagannatha Pandit: critically edited with
numerous diagrams by Pandit Kedar Nath, Rajjyotisi,
Jaipur.

Rs. A.

15. Vimalaprabha ; the famous commentary on the Kala-

"Cakra Tantra and the most important work of the
Kalacakra School of the" Buddhists edited with com-
parisons of the Tibetan and Chinese version by Giuseppe
Tucci of the Italian Academy.

16. Prajhaparamitas : commentaries on the Prajhapara-

mita, the Bible of the Mahayana Buddhists : edited by
Giuseppe Tucci, in 2 vols., voL II.

17. Nispannayogambara Tantra ; describing a large

number of mandalas or magic circles and numerous
deities : edited by B. Bhattacharyya.

18. Basatin-i-Salatin : a contemporary account of the

Sultans of Bijappr: translated into English by M. A.

Kazi of the Baroda College and B. Bhattacharyya.

19. Saktisangama Tantra: a voluminous compendium of

Hindu Tantra comprising four books on Kali, Tara,
Sundari, and Chinnamasta r edited by B. Bhattacharyya,

4 vols., vols. II-IV.

20. Sabara-Bhasya : on the Mimamsa Sutras of Jaimini:

translated into English by Mahamahopadhyaya Dr.
Ganganath Jha, 3 vols., vol. III.

21. Madana Maharnava: a Smrti work principally dealing

with the doctrine of Karmavipaka composed during
the reign of Mandhata son of Madanapala : edited by
Embar Krishnamachaiya.

22. Hamsa-vilasa : of Hamsa Bhiksu forms an elaborate

defence of the various mystic practices and worship:
edited by Swami Trivikrama Tirtha.

23. Trisastisalakapurusacaritra : of Hemacandra : trans-

lated into English by Dr. Helen Johnson, 4 vols.,
vols. III-IV.

Eor further particulars please communicate
with —

The Dieectoe,

Oriental Institute, Baroda^

1 .

‘3.

5 .

0 .

THE GAEKWAD’S STUDIES IN RELIGION AND
PHILOSOPHY.

Rs. A.

The Comparative Study of Religions: [Contents:

I, the sources and nature of religious truth. II, super-
natural beings, good and bad. Ill, the soul, its nature,
origin, and destiny. IV, sin and suffering, salvation
and redemption. V, religious practices. VI, the emo-
tional attitude and religious ideals] : by Alban A.
Widgery, M.A., 1922 . . . . . • 15~0

The Philosophy and Theology of Averroes : [Contents :

I, a decisive discourse on the delineation of the relation
between religion and philosophy. la, on the problem
of eternal knowledge which Averroes has mentioned in
his decisive discourse, II, an exposition of the
methods of arguments concerning^ the doctrines of
the faith]: by Mohammad Jamil-ur-Rahman, M.A.,

1921. (Cloth Rs. 5) .. .. ..3-0

Religious and Moral Teachings of A1 Ghazzali:
[Contents : I, the nature of man. II, human freedom ^
and responsibility. Ill, pride and vanity. IV, friend-
ship and sincerity. V, the nature of love and man’s
highest happiness. VI, the unity of God. VII, the
love of God and its signs. VITI, riza or joyous sub-
mission to His will]: translated by Syed Nawab Ali,

M.A., 1921 .. .. .. ..2-0

Goods and Bads : being the substance of a series of
talks and discussions with H.H. the Maharaja Gaekwad
of Baroda. [Contents : introduction. I, physical values.

II, intellectual values. Ill, sesthetic values. IV,
moral value. V, religious value. VI, the good life, its
unity and attainment] : by Alban G. Widgery, M.A.,

1920. (Library edition Rs. 5) . , . . 3-0

Immortality and other Essays : [Contents : I, philos-
ophy and life. II, immortality. Ill, morality and
religion. IV, Jesus and modern culture. V, the
psychology of Christian motive. VI, free Catholicism
and non-Christian Religions. VII, Nietzsche and
Tolstoi on Morality and Religion. VIII, Sir Oliver
Lodge on science and religion. IX, the value of con-
fessions of faith. X, the idea of resurrection. XI,
religion and beauty. XII, religion and history.

Xin, principles of reform in religion] : by Alban 6.

Widgery, M.A., 1919. (Cloth Rs. 3) . . . . 2-0

Confutation of Atheism : a translation of the Hadis-i-
Halila or the tradition of the Myrobalan Eruit : trans-
lated by Vali Mohammad Chhanganbhai Momin, 1918 . . 0-14

Conduct of Royal Servants : being a collection of verses
from the Viramitrodaya with their translations in
English, Gujarati, and Marathi: bv B. Bhattacharyya,
M.A., Ph.D.

0-6

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